To the Point
Hate Crime Laws - Are They Worth It?
News coverage of brutal crimes in Wyoming, Texas and other parts of the US has led to a drive in many states and in Washington for laws that provide extra punishment against crimes based on hate. Al Gore says his first goal as President would be tougher laws against these "hate crimes" which can terrorize entire communities. But there's opposition - and not just from gay-bashers, anti-Semites and racial bigots. Do hate crimes work or further isolate targeted minority groups without preventing violent crime? Today, we'll hear about gay rights, "thought crimes," and the culture of victimization. Newsmaker: In Peru, a discredited President Fujimori has personally been leading the search for his former intelligence chief who mysteriously returned after fleeing the country. Sebastian Rotella is on the scene for the Los Angeles Times. He talks to us about the hands-on president and the "power behind throne". Reporter's Notebook: Yugoslavia's President Kostunica has acknowledged that Serbian troops under orders from former President Milosevic carried out massive killings two years ago in the province of Kosovo. Now Kosovo, still under United Nations protection, is about to hold local elections. Andy Michels, who's in Kosovo with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission, talks about the mood there and the significance of Saturday's elections.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readNews coverage of brutal crimes in Wyoming, Texas and other parts of the US has led to a drive in many states and in Washington for laws that provide extra punishment against crimes based on hate. Al Gore says his first goal as President would be tougher laws against these "hate crimes" which can terrorize entire communities. But there's opposition - and not just from gay-bashers, anti-Semites and racial bigots. Do hate crimes work or further isolate targeted minority groups without preventing violent crime? Today, we'll hear about gay rights, "thought crimes," and the culture of victimization.
Newsmaker: In Peru, a discredited President Fujimori has personally been leading the search for his former intelligence chief who mysteriously returned after fleeing the country. Sebastian Rotella is on the scene for the
Los Angeles Times. He talks to us about the hands-on president and the "power behind throne".
Reporter's Notebook: Yugoslavia's President Kostunica has acknowledged that Serbian troops under orders from former President Milosevic carried out massive killings two years ago in the province of Kosovo. Now Kosovo, still under United Nations protection, is about to hold local elections. Andy Michels, who's in Kosovo with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission, talks about the mood there and the significance of Saturday's elections.
Rotella's Los Angeles Times' article