Staff Editorial: Wrong is wrong, hate is hate
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Opinions
Lewis University was shaken by three individuals who hung a noose outside of their window and yelled hateful and harmful things at a minority on campus. The individuals in question were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Is a noose insulting? Yes. Is it a shameful reminder of our past? Yes. Is it a hate crime? The Will County State's Attorney's office doesn't think so. They reduced the charges to disorderly conduct.
Illinois defines a hate crime as "when by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability national origin of another individual or group of individuals, he commits assault, battery, aggravated assault, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action or disorderly conduct."
Hate crimes in Illinois warrant a maximum prison sentence of three years for a first offense.
Disorderly conduct is generally defined, as acting in an unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace.
Being found guilty of this lesser charge in Illinois generally results in court supervision or probation, but it can result in up to one year in county jail.
The law states that disorderly conduct can be interpreted as a form of hate crime. Why, were the charges reduced? Was this the right decision?
There is no doubt the noose can, and has, been used a way to intimidate and instill fear. The noose played an important role in the darker corners of the United States' past. Between the end of Reconstruction and the beginning of the Great Depression, there were at least 2,000 recorded incidents of lynching. Nooses became a symbol of fear for some and a symbol of pride for others.
Some might be quick to call this a bad decision, it shows we are not protecting the students. Others might say this was a good decision. Or they are young men that made a mistake. Three years in prison might sound like a mighty long time for hanging a piece of rope out a window.
Is a noose insulting? Yes. Is it a shameful reminder of our past? Yes. Is it a hate crime? The Will County State's Attorney's office doesn't think so. They reduced the charges to disorderly conduct.
Illinois defines a hate crime as "when by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability national origin of another individual or group of individuals, he commits assault, battery, aggravated assault, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action or disorderly conduct."
Hate crimes in Illinois warrant a maximum prison sentence of three years for a first offense.
Disorderly conduct is generally defined, as acting in an unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace.
Being found guilty of this lesser charge in Illinois generally results in court supervision or probation, but it can result in up to one year in county jail.
The law states that disorderly conduct can be interpreted as a form of hate crime. Why, were the charges reduced? Was this the right decision?
There is no doubt the noose can, and has, been used a way to intimidate and instill fear. The noose played an important role in the darker corners of the United States' past. Between the end of Reconstruction and the beginning of the Great Depression, there were at least 2,000 recorded incidents of lynching. Nooses became a symbol of fear for some and a symbol of pride for others.
Some might be quick to call this a bad decision, it shows we are not protecting the students. Others might say this was a good decision. Or they are young men that made a mistake. Three years in prison might sound like a mighty long time for hanging a piece of rope out a window.
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