Martyrdom in the USA : Hate Crimes Against Catholics Increase

[Zoe_Brain]

From NCRegister, the Catholic Newsweekly.

Statistics released Nov. 24 by the FBI show hate crimes against religious groups increased by 9% from 2007 to 2008.

USA Today reported that in 2008, there 1,519 incidents against people based on their religion, the statistics show.

The figures reveal that while anti-Jewish attacks made up the highest percentage of the attacks (17%)*, there was an increase in hate crimes against Catholics — 75, up from 61 in 2007.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said the increase may be due to the Church becoming more vocal on life issues such as abortion and homosexual unions.

As the Catholic bishops take a stronger stance, he said, it filters down to the laity, and as more traditional Catholics become more vocal, they become targets for those who disagree with them.

“Unfortunately, it spills over into violence,” he said, adding that it’s just going to get worse before it gets better.

“I’ve never seen our country so culturally divided and so polarized,” he said. “These issues are not going away.”

We have the proof that Catholics are increasingly victims of violence for their beliefs. We must speak out against the martyrdom of Catholics facing this terrible persecution.

The figures are from the FBI, and are at fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_04.html

They show that there was 1 case of aggravated assault, 3 cases of simple assault, and 3 cases of intimidation. 7 total, up from 5 last year. The other crimes were crimes against property, usually vandalism.

• • Correction : Jews weren’t victims of 17% of the crimes - but 71%, including 25 cases of aggravated assault, 58 cases of simple assault, and 208 cases of intimidation

One minor thing - homosexuals were victims of 5 murders, 6 rapes, 232 aggravated assaults, 501 simple assaults, and 419 cases of intimidation. The biggest increase was in California, immediately after the campaign against homosexuality and Proposition 8.
No data was collected about trans people - until the Hate Crimes legislation was passed recently, they weren’t counted - but at least 19 were murdered.

 

[athansor]

From NCRegister, the Catholic Newsweekly.

We have the proof that Catholics are increasingly victims of violence for their beliefs. We must speak out against the martyrdom of Catholics facing this terrible persecution.

The figures are from the FBI, and are at fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_04.html

They show that there was 1 case of aggravated assault, 3 cases of simple assault, and 3 cases of intimidation. 7 total, up from 5 last year. The other crimes were crimes against property, usually vandalism.

• • Correction : Jews weren’t victims of 17% of the crimes - but 71%, including 25 cases of aggravated assault, 58 cases of simple assault, and 208 cases of intimidation

One minor thing - homosexuals were victims of 5 murders, 6 rapes, 232 aggravated assaults, 501 simple assaults, and 419 cases of intimidation. The biggest increase was in California, immediately after the campaign against homosexuality and Proposition 8.
No data was collected about trans people - until the Hate Crimes legislation was passed recently, they weren’t counted - but at least 19 were murdered.

Hmmm…I thought when the issue of hate crimes legislation came up, prominent religious conservatives such as Bill Donohue and Pat Robertson were opposed based on their idea that hate crimes, per se, didn’t exist. So, is there such a thing as a hate crime? Is it only a hate crime if it is committed against a group one is a member of?

 

[ljubim]

Hmmm…I thought when the issue of hate crimes legislation came up, prominent religious conservatives such as Bill Donohue and Pat Robertson were opposed based on their idea that hate crimes, per se, didn’t exist. So, is there such a thing as a hate crime? Is it only a hate crime if it is committed against a group one is a member of?

The hate crimes legislation is wrong because it opens a legal loophole up that endangers the Church and Catholic organizations in the future. Plus crimes are already punished under the law… do these bills change anything in regards to this? No.

My support really goes out to those martyred and persecuted, however few. Imagine the graces they will recieve for their immense suffering!

 

[athansor]

The hate crimes legislation is wrong because it opens a legal loophole up that endangers the Church and Catholic organizations in the future. Plus crimes are already punished under the law… do these bills change anything in regards to this? No.

My support really goes out to those martyred and persecuted, however few. Imagine the graces they will recieve for their immense suffering!

How does it do that? (open up a loophole, that is?)

So, the consensus is that hate crimes exist, whether against people of a particular orientation, race or religion, but they shouldn’t be prosecuted as such? Should they be recognized at all, so that statistics like these can be compiled?

 

[royal_archer]

How does it do that? (open up a loophole, that is?)

So, the consensus is that hate crimes exist, whether against people of a particular orientation, race or religion, but they shouldn’t be prosecuted as such? Should they be recognized at all, so that statistics like these can be compiled?

Hate crimes extend far beyond the small handfull of categories listed in legislation. Unfortunately anyone who is not a member of one of these elevated groups who is victimized does not get equal protection under the law.

Also these statistics can be very misleading some groups appear to be the victims of more violence when in fact they just happen to congregate in areas where there is more violence.

As for one loop hole: we see people unjustly retried for crimes the have been acquitted of because of hate crime type legislation. This legislation is used to keep retrying people until they get the verdict they want. This is an obvious denial of human rights protected by the constitution (double jeapordy).

 

[royal_archer]

From NCRegister, the Catholic Newsweekly.

We have the proof that Catholics are increasingly victims of violence for their beliefs. We must speak out against the martyrdom of Catholics facing this terrible persecution.

The figures are from the FBI, and are at fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_04.html

They show that there was 1 case of aggravated assault, 3 cases of simple assault, and 3 cases of intimidation. 7 total, up from 5 last year. The other crimes were crimes against property, usually vandalism.

• • Correction : Jews weren’t victims of 17% of the crimes - but 71%, including 25 cases of aggravated assault, 58 cases of simple assault, and 208 cases of intimidation

One minor thing - homosexuals were victims of 5 murders, 6 rapes, 232 aggravated assaults, 501 simple assaults, and 419 cases of intimidation. The biggest increase was in California, immediately after the campaign against homosexuality and Proposition 8.
No data was collected about trans people - until the Hate Crimes legislation was passed recently, they weren’t counted - but at least 19 were murdered.

Those crimes would not warrant the use of the title of martyr. Even in cases of murder, I could only see someone being considered a Martyr if they new their beliefs were putting their lives in imminent risk, believe that changing their beliefs would save their lives, and choose God anyhow.

 

[jcarter]

I agree that such crimes don’t merit the title martyrdom.

We have the proof that Catholics are increasingly victims of violence for their beliefs. We must speak out against the martyrdom of Catholics facing this terrible persecution.

The figures are from the FBI, and are at fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/data/table_04.html

They show that there was 1 case of aggravated assault, 3 cases of simple assault, and 3 cases of intimidation. 7 total, up from 5 last year. The other crimes were crimes against property, usually vandalism.

• • Correction : Jews weren’t victims of 17% of the crimes - but 71%, including 25 cases of aggravated assault, 58 cases of simple assault, and 208 cases of intimidation

One minor thing - homosexuals were victims of 5 murders, 6 rapes, 232 aggravated assaults, 501 simple assaults, and 419 cases of intimidation. The biggest increase was in California, immediately after the campaign against homosexuality and Proposition 8.
No data was collected about trans people - until the Hate Crimes legislation was passed recently, they weren’t counted - but at least 19 were murdered.

I don’t think such a big deal should be made of this small increase when the numbers for crimes against Muslims, Jews, or homosexuals are so much larger. The crime is just as serious when it is towards homosexuals or people of other faiths as when it is towards Catholics. A person’s human dignity is the same, regardless of religion or sexual preferences.

The article was about hate crimes towards religious groups, not just Catholics. The church has been persecuted much worse before, and likely will be again. There is little need to speak out in our defense. Rather, we should be speaking out in the defense of all who are persecuted for any reason whatsoever.

 

[Benadam]

As it pertains to acts intended to cause physical pain to others who aren’t causing a physical threat, they are all acts of hate. Categorizing subgroups for increased punishment among those who are victims of such acts only serves to minimize uncategorized acts of hate. imo. They are all hate crimes.

The only thing that can trully distinguish a certain group among the victims of hatefull acts is not recognition for increased punishment but suffering that redeems those who cause it.

 

[royal_archer]

“Hate crimes” is just a bad term and approach to dealing with a real situation.We do need to consider high risk groups. For instance in high schools nerds can be extensively more victimized than other groups. As such something should be done so that they can feel just as safe walking down the halls as students from other groups. But putting that philosophy into practice can be a challenge.

 

[Benadam]

“Hate crimes” is just a bad term and approach to dealing with a real situation.We do need to consider high risk groups. For instance in high schools nerds can be extensively more victimized than other groups. As such something should be done so that they can feel just as safe walking down the halls as students from other groups. But putting that philosophy into practice can be a challenge.

It’s good to categorize the abusers into well defined groups and label them by what attracts their abuse but it’s not good to categorize the victims into well defined groups labeled by the abusers.
Those who’s urge to abuse is satisfied by abusing others of lesser physical status do that because they are fragile and weak. Place posters around campus that categorize those who do that. Raiase the consciousness of the students by defining the abusers as a group and making the behaviour shamefull.