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Hate Crime In The United States

Decent Essays

Hate Crimes
Recently, in a response to an increase in violence, the state of Wisconsin passes a law that enhances the penalty for any offense committed against a victim where the crime is committed because of hatred for the victim’s race, sex, or religion. Prior to discussing whether or not this penalty enhancement violates the civil jurisdiction given to the state from God; one must first provide the foundation of the jurisdiction of the state from the biblical principles. First, Christ recognizes that God has all authority “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God” Roman 13:1 (King James Online). In addition, Christ recognizes jurisdiction “and Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the …show more content…

A 2005 study conducted by National Institute of Justice, found that the Federal Government and all but one state, Wyoming, have laws related to hate crimes. A consistent problem identified by this study is there in no consistency in defining what constitutes a hate crime. (Carrie F. Mulford, Ph.D., & Michael Shively, Ph.D., Hate Crime in America: The Debate Continues, 257, Nat’l Inst Just., (2007). “The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines hate crime—also called bias crime—as “a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin.” ld.
Even though the jurisdiction is clear and evident, outlined by Christ, there and many states that have imposed a more severe punishment for crimes that are committed out of hatred. For example, in 1989 Montana adopted a "Sentence Enhancement" related to hate crimes (Ryken Grattet & Valerie Jenness, Examining the Boundaries of Hate Crime Law: Disabilities and the Dilemma of Difference, J. Crim. L. Criminology, 653, 661 (2001). The Montana law created in 1989 was specific and contained sentencing guidelines stricter then if the crime was not considered a hate …show more content…

On October 7, 1989, Todd Mitchell, a young black man, instigated an attack against a young white boy. He was subsequently convicted of aggravated battery in the Circuit Court for Kenosha County. Wisconsin v. Mitchell 508 U.S. 47 (Wis. 1993). Mitchell was convicted of aggravated battery in the Circuit Court for Kenosha County. ld. According to Wisconsin statute, Mitchell's sentence was increased, because the court found that he had selected his victim based on race. ld. This is an example of the state of Wisconsin enhancing punishment based upon
The separation of authority is clearly identified; the state is given jurisdiction over punishing wrongful acts and providing a safe and healthy environment. Whereas, God, through the law of nature and the law of nature’s God is superior to all laws, binding over all people, immutable law of good and evil, and no human laws are of any validity if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force from this original. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God” Roman 13:1 (King James Online). The punishment for one’s thoughts, motives, beliefs, and not one’s actions, should unquestionably be punished through the God and the law of nature and the law of nature’s God. Whereas, the criminal act itself should be certainly

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