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Article: Hate-crimes bill is a human-rights issue; Gender, sexual orientation should be part of national bias law.(NEWS)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- October 13, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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It's one of the uglier aspects of American life. Across the country, there are still too many violent assaults prompted by skin color, religion or nationality. Case in point: Two black men were recently attacked in Brooklyn Park in what police called racially motivated beatings and robbery.
Because these types of crimes are so offensive, the federal government and many states impose extra penalties. Federal law enacted after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated defined hate crimes as those motivated by a victim's race, color, religion or national origin.
Now Congress is considering expanding that definition to cover those committed because of a ...