Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Should We Have Hate Crime Laws or Even Believe in Hate Crimes? (Dehumanization Thought Experiment)

We have been debating in society hate, racism, discrimination and corruption for a long time. It never truly gets solved. Most of society would like to see us treat each other with dignity and respect but some of us don't and those that don't seem to sometimes get the upper hand in justice outcomes. That isn't always the case. Sometimes we might consider strengthening hate crimes laws as most people seem to support them. Individual Variation in Hate Crimes. (I'm not picking a political argument here. Politics is the lowest of all considerations when it comes to generational contracts. I'm saying that generally certain oaths and values apply to all people so anything we can do to support that would make sense.)

I once conducted a thought experiment on what it would look like if local laws defaulted, corruption was rampant, and people were dehumanized. Perpetrators were intentionally manipulating a local clan system, targeting the victims wherever they went, and trying to cause as much harm as they could through false rumors and close friendships to affiliates with access to institutional resources (i.e. corruption). It didn't turn out well. Almost no crime against the victims was investigated (the victims were the true target of clan officials and their efforts) and the victims of the past and the future were muted to ensure those of the clan were rewarded and never held to account (Its not about getting people in trouble it is about protecting future victims, standing by oaths, and ensuring a brighter future.) Civil and Human rights were seen as a dirty word and the idea of justice thrown into the same boiling pot. 

(If you recently watch Wicked you will know what I'm talking about. She was treated inhumanely and people praised her demise even though she was one of the few out there who had values and the independence to stand for those values. Stories are meant to teach. The story has lots of layers of truth. Its not a liberal or conservative idea. We all are entitled to civil and kind treatment. i.e. silencing the animals as the story says.)

What we learn from this example is that failures are completely preventable and can be corrected if people act on their professed oaths and in good moral conscious. However, if hate is more important than doing what is right then justice becomes more or less theoretical and theatrical in nature.  Not until we change as people and we ensure the laws protect certain sacred values will the trends of trust be reversed. The application of justice should not be misused to further one's racial, religious, political, or clan affiliations. 

We furthered this thought experiment to a dehumanization process as a direct result of extreme injustice where it is clear that there are two different classes of people with different laws applied for for each. For example if your poor your unlikely to get the same treatment is if you are rich or perhaps in Wicked if you are green or worship in the wrong way you are unlikely to have the same protections as others. It is just an ugly thing that exists in people's decision making process (It is also something we as a society typically have stood against. For example, a Germanic grandfather who fought against the Natzis who also had partial Jewish ancestory. Perhaps people who fought to end slavery but know that segregation in some places persist because of those who decided to allow such values on a social level to exist. Basically anyone who is different can be a target and stripped of their dignity. Those were real men and women who believed in what they were doing.... in supporting humanity and fair treatment. Those values could fade if we are not careful.).

Good thing it is a thought experiment because it is some very scarry stuff if we do not stay aligned to our soul as a people and the purpose of our existence.  Inhumanity has been known to creep up in history from time to time and that has led to all types of concerns. The people who defaulted in their decision making did not know that their choices would lead to a chain of events (i.e. Tusa Massacre). Learning about hate and listening to victims helps to protect from repeating them. Freedom of speech is important. It is useless if we do not have the freedom to self reflect.

Once you have been dehumanized, all the protections removed and criminal behaviors rewarded you accept your place in society. It is the lowest of all places. Barely tolerated, discredited, few protections, few rights to contribute, and generally unlikely to ever to be seen as having value. There are no recourses anywhere in the system for such people (Its not true but hate supporters seek to embed that belief on victims. Its part of that dehumanization process. In some places that is illegal in other places they don't report hate crimes as a matter of unofficial policy. More true if clan members are involved. ).  If such values spread it might limit most of society and derail a nations development. 

Do we need to strengthen hate laws, whistle blower rights, or victims protection? There isn't much of a point of passing new laws if the spirit of current laws passed are not fully enforced. They become just things on paper...the torch goes out (It had a dramatic flair but the point is that each intentional or unintentional failure leads to an outcome. We should always support the higher moral order versus the lower orders.). 

From this we should start to learn the importance of democracy, our social contracts and supporting good values in society that draw as many people to a greater end as possible. I'm more conservative than most other people...all life has value. 

*This is a thought experiment on exploring hate and dehumanization in society. It is meant for learning purposes only as a theoretical example. It is also meant to get you to think about what is most important in our society and how to build the best society we can. Even when it is opposed by some.

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