05-28-2004, 04:27 AM
Israfel, I disagree with what you've said about church vandalism being a hate crime and vandalism of a mosque automatically being a hate crime.
Vandalism is merely destruction or damage of property plain and simple.
It becomes a hate crime when the nature of the vandalism contains some form of hate message.
If a holy symbol is broken during the vandalism, that doesn't make it a hate crime. A hate crime requires some form of message to be included directed at an individual or group. Usually, this is some form of graphiti or specific arrangement of the damaged property.
While I do remember a case or two of churches being vandalized, I don't remember any of them saying "Christians Go Home" or similar message.
Thinking on this, I'm not sure if someone writing satanic messages in a church would be considered a hate crime or merely the presentation of a different religion. I guess it would have to depend on the content of the messages left behind.
Vandalism is merely destruction or damage of property plain and simple.
It becomes a hate crime when the nature of the vandalism contains some form of hate message.
If a holy symbol is broken during the vandalism, that doesn't make it a hate crime. A hate crime requires some form of message to be included directed at an individual or group. Usually, this is some form of graphiti or specific arrangement of the damaged property.
While I do remember a case or two of churches being vandalized, I don't remember any of them saying "Christians Go Home" or similar message.
Thinking on this, I'm not sure if someone writing satanic messages in a church would be considered a hate crime or merely the presentation of a different religion. I guess it would have to depend on the content of the messages left behind.
Gullible isn't in the dictionary.