workers had begun collecting data for the 2010 U.S. count. The Associated Press reports on the Census worker found dead, hanging from a tree with the word "fed" scrawled on his chest.Would this qualify as a Hate Crime? And what does it say about American Political Culture today?
MANCHESTER, Ky. -- When Bill Sparkman told retired trooper Gilbert Acciardo that he was going door-to-door collecting census data in rural Kentucky, the former cop drew on years of experience for a warning: "Be careful."
The 51-year-old Sparkman was found this month hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery with the word "fed" scrawled on his chest, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, and the FBI is investigating whether he was a victim of anti-government sentiment.
"Even though he was with the Census Bureau, sometimes people can view someone with any government agency as 'the government.' I just was afraid that he might meet the wrong character along the way up there," said Acciardo, who directs an after-school program at an elementary school where Sparkman was a frequent substitute teacher.
The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, until the investigation is complete, an official said.
A video and the full story is linked here:
http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1110ap_us_census_worker_hanged.html?source=mypi
14 comments:
I think this is not really a hate crime against government, but rather a display of protest. I am rather appalled that people would go so far as to kill a man who is just helping the consensus bureau, and it is something that should definitely be charged because killing an innocent man is not right. However, I don't think it was a hate crime, but rather protest against the government and although ridiculous the citizens were able to get their message across.
Wikipedia defines hate crime as the targeting of a victim because of their perceived membership in a certain social group. They've extended that classification to gays, the disabled, etc. However I don't know if government workers can be defined as being their own social group, otherwise we'd be defining someone's social group based on their job, and then where would we draw the line there?
Still though this is really sickening and I hope they find the people that did this.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/US/us-census-worker-bill-sparkman-committed-suicide/story?id=9167408
I agree with previous comments that this most likely wouldn’t qualify as a hate crime because he was an employee of a organization rather than a part of any social group. On a different note, some news sources like ABC news are now saying that Bill Sparkman’s death was actually a suicide, done for insurance purposes. This is such a gruesome story.
I don't think this is a hate crime either. I believe that there has to be a significant race or social affiliation with the victim to qualify as a hate crime. Government workers cannot be defined as a certain class of people. This would be comparable to saying that if an entrepreneur was murdered, it was a hate crime against all businessmen or businesswomen.
I also don't think this is really a hate crime but a type of protest. This is pretty sick that people would kill others and portray it a sign they hate the government. But, if this continues to occur, which I hope it doesn't, maybe we might have to change the definition of what a hate crime really is...
Antipathy towards government institutions is a very dangerous thing indeed. Conservative, rural areas may soon become breeding grounds for domestic terrorists. The difficulty lies in separating the passionate Americans from the hardliners.
I also believe that it is not a hate crime, but just like Janesh said, it is a protest against the government. The people who did this either are dissatisfied with the way the government is run now or despise the institution altogether. This was an act of rebellion by someone who does not like the way the current things are going and wishes to bring change and in this case, a violent way.
I too believe that labeling this a hate crime is a bit of an overkill. But that does not minimize the horror of the crime. I think that people have shown their dissatisfaction with the government in many ways, but to kill an innocent man based on his job is going too far. Like Derek said, this murderer has crossed the line of being passionate to a hardliner.
This should not be called a hate crime because all protests cause an uproar. I believe it is horrible that people have to go to such extents to get their message to the government. Citizens feel like the government do not understand their opinions unless there is violence involved. It is sad that in order to get the government to understand their perspective and citizens have to kill an innocent man.
Acts such as this inevitably gain the attention of the media, and so this is clearly a display of protest prompting change because so many people will hear about it, and not so much a hate crime, even though this is of course horrible.
Although horrific, I don't think this is a hate crime, but like others have said, a display of protest. Like the definition that CoreyS found has stated, hate crimes apply to social groups and I don't really believe that government workers can be defined as a 'social group.' When I heard about this, I thought of it as a violent protest towards the government, not a hate crime against a social group.
I agree with CoreyS arguement dealing with the categorization of government workers as its own social group. The murder displays more signs of protest to improve the status of the nation.
http://www.cafb29b24.org/docs/buyativan/#medication ativan online canada - dosage of ativan for anxiety
chenlina20160719
michael kors outlet
ralph lauren outlet
cheap jordan shoes
coach factory outlet
celine bags
ray ban sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet
celine outlet
oakley sunglasses
north face outlet
toms outlet
jordan 13
christian louboutin outlet
coach factory outlet online
ed hardy clothing
coach outlet clearance
kate spade handbags
jordan retro 11
ray ban wayfarer
air jordan pas cher
replica watches
louis vuitton outlet
nike roshe run women
coach outlet
michael kors outlet
rolex submariner
louis vuitton purses
tods outlet online
michael kors outlet
ray ban sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet stores
louis vuitton handbags
ray ban sunglasses
fake watches
tiffany outlet
oakley vault
hermes birkin bag
rolex watches
jordan retro
nike air max 90
as
Post a Comment