Patently absurd – but here in the UK we are fast approaching such levels of idiocy.
The spike in reported hate crimes following the referendum was trumpeted as proof of what a nasty, intolerant country we had become. But rather than a rise in crime it merely reflected a rise in peoples’ willingness (indeed, zeal in many cases) to report “hate” crimes, many of which were no such thing.
The definition of a hate crime was, until a few years ago, a crime that was “motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on personal characteristics. Crimes driven by prejudice based on race, religion/faith, sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity.”
That definition ““ much against advice ““ was changed to “any criminal offence WHICH IS PERCEIVED, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic. “¦. etc’. This is how the Police must record such crimes, according to their ‘Hate Crime Operational Guidance’.
It is the victim’s perception that is now the deciding factor in whether something is measured as a hate crime. ‘Evidence of”¦ hostility is not required for an incident or crime to be recorded as a hate crime or hate incident,’ according to the guidance. ‘The perception of the victim, or any other person, is the defining factor”¦ the victim does not have to justify or provide evidence of their belief, and police officers or staff should not directly challenge this perception.’
Just let that sink in. No evidence is required and it is the victim’s perception that is the defining factor.
NO EVIDENCE REQUIRED.
Just a feeling.
The guidance continues – ‘apparent lack of motivation as the cause of an incident is not relevant as it is the perception of the victim or any other person that counts’. We now allow the entirely subjective reaction to a crime from the victim to dictate what the crime denotes.
As a result of this stupid ““ really stupid ““ redefining, burglaries and theft are now routinely recorded as hate crimes. Of all the incidences of “Hate Crimes” as listed in the England & Wales Crime Survey for England and Wales, 8% are burglaries.
2% of hate crimes ARE BICYCLE THEFTS! Really? A hate-inspired bicycle theft?
It suits some peoples’ agendas to be able to point to a rise in hate crimes as evidence that Britain from 2016 to the present day “is like Germany in the 1930s” or some such tosh but before anyone starts to believe such a gloomy picture they ought to reflect on whether they think it more likely that people steal a bicycle because the owner was gay, or black, or Polish, or Muslim, rather than because the bike was unlocked or unguarded.
There are genuine victims suffering genuine hate crimes against them. We should be worrying about them rather than hand-wringing about an apparent, though factually erroneous, rise in hate crimes, based on a totally flawed metric.
The UK was, and remains, just about the most tolerant country in the world.
People do the country no favours bemoaning a rise in hatred and bigotry simply because it fits a narrative they wish to prove to themselves and others.
There are (and, historically, have been) few countries that have been more welcoming and tolerant of people of different race, gender, orientation, whatever than the UK. For each of the anecdotal instances of intolerance that get trumpeted as “proof” of widespread racism, sexism, homophobia, etc etc there are a million other instances of just everyday acceptance of people, – regardless of colour, ethnicity or nationality – that are not worthy of anecdotes simply because they are so everyday.
We can argue about what has caused this desire in some people to claim we are a nasty, xenophobic, intolerant country – but I think anyone honest would agree that it is not an accurate reflection of this country at all – and does us no favours at a time when we should be putting the most positive view of Britain to the rest of the world.
Not just hate crimes, we also have racially motivated offences. If I punch you on the nose while shouting “Take that, you fat b*stard” I’ll get a certain sentence. If my words are misheard as “you black b*stard” I’ll get a harsher sentence. Madness.
Well argued, and resonates with those of us who profess to value evidence, logic and a rational approach to matters. But we are one side of a cultural divide. There is another side, always been there in the margins. Along with the other kooky religions. Somehow, we’ve let this one gain traction, and very recently to a frightening extent. We in the UK and on ‘our’ side of that cultural divide can laugh at the absurdity described in the Oakland piece above. Americans! What a bunch! Of course it couldn’t happen here. Could it? We think differently, we’re sensible. We have a long history of conservatism with institutions that guard against extremism of any flavour. Do we? Are we? Have we? How events play out over the next few months or so will answer those questions. We ought to be under no illusions that much depends on what those answers are. What many of us have come to realise is that dystopia is not some concept we read about in history books and in fiction, films, etc. If we are not very careful, or if we are simply careless it could be just around the corner.
Well said. The hate crime legislation is appalling.
The legislation makes it possible to increase the severity of someone’s punishment out of spite or on a mere whim.
Adrian Smith
3 years ago
If mainstream politics does not start to push back against this sort of lunacy very soon, then it will be the extremist who do and in doing so will gain massive popular support, Then we really will have proper hate crimes going on.
Patently absurd – but here in the UK we are fast approaching such levels of idiocy.
The spike in reported hate crimes following the referendum was trumpeted as proof of what a nasty, intolerant country we had become. But rather than a rise in crime it merely reflected a rise in peoples’ willingness (indeed, zeal in many cases) to report “hate” crimes, many of which were no such thing.
The definition of a hate crime was, until a few years ago, a crime that was “motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on personal characteristics. Crimes driven by prejudice based on race, religion/faith, sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity.”
That definition ““ much against advice ““ was changed to “any criminal offence WHICH IS PERCEIVED, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic. “¦. etc’. This is how the Police must record such crimes, according to their ‘Hate Crime Operational Guidance’.
It is the victim’s perception that is now the deciding factor in whether something is measured as a hate crime. ‘Evidence of”¦ hostility is not required for an incident or crime to be recorded as a hate crime or hate incident,’ according to the guidance. ‘The perception of the victim, or any other person, is the defining factor”¦ the victim does not have to justify or provide evidence of their belief, and police officers or staff should not directly challenge this perception.’
Just let that sink in. No evidence is required and it is the victim’s perception that is the defining factor.
NO EVIDENCE REQUIRED.
Just a feeling.
The guidance continues – ‘apparent lack of motivation as the cause of an incident is not relevant as it is the perception of the victim or any other person that counts’. We now allow the entirely subjective reaction to a crime from the victim to dictate what the crime denotes.
As a result of this stupid ““ really stupid ““ redefining, burglaries and theft are now routinely recorded as hate crimes. Of all the incidences of “Hate Crimes” as listed in the England & Wales Crime Survey for England and Wales, 8% are burglaries.
2% of hate crimes ARE BICYCLE THEFTS! Really? A hate-inspired bicycle theft?
It suits some peoples’ agendas to be able to point to a rise in hate crimes as evidence that Britain from 2016 to the present day “is like Germany in the 1930s” or some such tosh but before anyone starts to believe such a gloomy picture they ought to reflect on whether they think it more likely that people steal a bicycle because the owner was gay, or black, or Polish, or Muslim, rather than because the bike was unlocked or unguarded.
There are genuine victims suffering genuine hate crimes against them. We should be worrying about them rather than hand-wringing about an apparent, though factually erroneous, rise in hate crimes, based on a totally flawed metric.
The UK was, and remains, just about the most tolerant country in the world.
People do the country no favours bemoaning a rise in hatred and bigotry simply because it fits a narrative they wish to prove to themselves and others.
There are (and, historically, have been) few countries that have been more welcoming and tolerant of people of different race, gender, orientation, whatever than the UK. For each of the anecdotal instances of intolerance that get trumpeted as “proof” of widespread racism, sexism, homophobia, etc etc there are a million other instances of just everyday acceptance of people, – regardless of colour, ethnicity or nationality – that are not worthy of anecdotes simply because they are so everyday.
We can argue about what has caused this desire in some people to claim we are a nasty, xenophobic, intolerant country – but I think anyone honest would agree that it is not an accurate reflection of this country at all – and does us no favours at a time when we should be putting the most positive view of Britain to the rest of the world.
Not just hate crimes, we also have racially motivated offences. If I punch you on the nose while shouting “Take that, you fat b*stard” I’ll get a certain sentence. If my words are misheard as “you black b*stard” I’ll get a harsher sentence. Madness.
Wish I could upvote this more than once
Well argued, and resonates with those of us who profess to value evidence, logic and a rational approach to matters. But we are one side of a cultural divide. There is another side, always been there in the margins. Along with the other kooky religions. Somehow, we’ve let this one gain traction, and very recently to a frightening extent. We in the UK and on ‘our’ side of that cultural divide can laugh at the absurdity described in the Oakland piece above. Americans! What a bunch! Of course it couldn’t happen here. Could it? We think differently, we’re sensible. We have a long history of conservatism with institutions that guard against extremism of any flavour. Do we? Are we? Have we?
How events play out over the next few months or so will answer those questions. We ought to be under no illusions that much depends on what those answers are.
What many of us have come to realise is that dystopia is not some concept we read about in history books and in fiction, films, etc. If we are not very careful, or if we are simply careless it could be just around the corner.
Well said. The hate crime legislation is appalling.
The legislation makes it possible to increase the severity of someone’s punishment out of spite or on a mere whim.
If mainstream politics does not start to push back against this sort of lunacy very soon, then it will be the extremist who do and in doing so will gain massive popular support, Then we really will have proper hate crimes going on.
Mad.
Sad.
This woman Schaaf is a member of the Democratic Party. A misnomer if ever I heard one.
This is Super Wokeness. Those advocating prosecution for putting up swings are just Show Trial Stalinists.
So was anyone prosecuted – or persecuted – for this?