Reply #10: Not necessarily

[pipoman]

I want judges (and juries as much as allowed) to decide punishments on the merit of the case. Truth is there is no panacea when it comes to our court system. Mandatory minimums have little variance which make them unjust at times, much like 'zero tolerance policies'. I don't believe that motive beyond certain key points should enhance sentences. IOW, I believe it unjust to make the aggravated murder of one person more severe than the aggravated murder of another. If my straight son is murdered because a former boyfriend of his girlfriend plans his murder, or my gay son is murdered because some skinhead hates gays and plans his murder, I feel each murder should be treated/punished to the same extent. I don't see any deterrent value to 'hate crimes laws'. I do expect rare enforcement seeing how enforcement, especially at the Federal level, is lax at best on most crime. I am all for adding (already done) GLBT to equal opportunity rules/laws. I simply don't see this being enforced equally or often, only used as a political ploy by politically motivated prosecutors.