Editorial: Hate crime defined for Republican

Wednesday, September 19, 2007  

"If Rep. Bill Sali, R-Idaho, remains hazy about what constitutes a "hate crime," he should check out a Lewiston police report from Sept. 12.

A 13-year-old Indian girl received a bloody beating for questioning a group of people who were allegedly standing in front of an apartment complex and verbally abusing passersby while chanting "white power" and "white pride."

"What about native pride?" the girl reportedly asked. That was enough - according to the police - for the girl to get hit in the face.

When the victim hit the ground, the attacker's mother allegedly joined in. The police report says she literally kicked the victim when she was down.

Meanwhile, half a dozen young men allegedly cheered for the attackers.

And that, Congressman, is a textbook description of a hate crime. If the description fits the facts, the intended victim was not one teenage girl. It was anyone who dares to question the concept of white supremacy. People who commit these acts want to harass and intimidate entire groups. They deserve a higher level of punishment than thugs who beat people up for the heck of it.

Sali disagrees. He says the racist deserves the same punishment as the random thug."

Get the Story:
Editorial: This, Mr. Sali, is what is meant by 'hate crime' (The Lewiston Tribune 9/19)