Hate Crimes... or has one ever witnessed a crime done in love?
Recently the media has been inundated with reports of the young man who embarked on an unexpected rampage at a gay bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Subsequently, a few days later, the suspect was apprehended in Arkansas after being stopped for a routine traffic violation. The routine stop turned into another violent rampage after the suspect, Jason Robido shot the officers, turned the gun on his female traveling companion and killed her as well as one of the law enforcement officers. Robido died from injuries sustained in that altercation, later, at a Missouri hospital. Associated Press reported that the mood was that of relief and disappointment at the bar in New Bedford. One man named Mr. Dan Sheterom, age 51, a regular at the bar who lived in an apartment upstairs was quoted as saying,
The media reports of the church arsons here in my home state of Alabama have awakened people regarding the security of their church campuses. Just a few days ago though, Mr. John Giles of the Alabama Christian Coalition was quoted as saying that
As I began to ponder these two unrelated events in our country, I am unimpressed with the mindset of our culture. First of all, I want to clarify my own values. I am well aware of the dark side of our American history in which slavery and racism existed. My childhood memories of traveling to the state farmer's market in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960's with my maternal grandfather brings stark reminders of the time in our land when African-American people were treated harshly and had to use restrooms and water fountains labeled "Colored Only". I personally cringe at those memories while my grandfather and I had access to the facilities labeled "Whites Only". It was in the fall of 1966 that I entered junior high to began school with African-American students in my class for the very first time. The values I learned at home was instilled in my life by god-fearing, hardworking parents. One of those values was the principle of the golden rule found in Matthew 7:12. In those days we learned that principle as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". I was expected to treat my fellow classmates with respect and dignity regardless of the color of their skin. That was a biblical prinicple that superceded the mindset of the culture of that era. Fast-foward, 40 years later. That principle still stands! Racism is still wrong.
Secondly, the notion of a crime being done with hate as its' motive is not exactly innovative. ALL crime is done with hate as its' motive! Have you ever witnessed a crime done by modern man with love as its' motive? The pseudo-intellectual who seeks to dismantle the effectiveness of the Word of God will soon find themselves in a lesson of utter futility. The Ten Commandments are a good rule to live by... PERIOD! These exhortations from the Word of God guide depraved man to exhibit love and concern for his neighbor. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor.... I will NOT murder him. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT covet his wife or his property. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT tell lies about him or her. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT steal from him or her. Who is my neighbor? Well, that term means more than those who live in proximity to you. My neighbor is my fellow man that I encounter every day in my life. That includes the rich, poor, red, yellow, black, white, mixed raced, and those that don't even share the same values I cherish. In case you don't get the point... If you hate your neighbor... then you CAN and WILL do the things the Word of God forbids in the Ten Commandments.
Thirdly, I can just see two of my favorite high school English teachers, Mrs. Pruett and Mrs. McAlpine, who was the first African-American role model to influence my life in great way, scratching their heads and possibly saying, "The phrase 'hate crime' tends to lean toward being a double-negative." Like saying... "I don't neither!". I was quilty of speaking and writing double-negatives. Those two saints were quick to correct me!
Mr Robido killed people because he hated them. The arsonists who set the fires to the churches in Alabama did so because they hated the people who used these campuses for their corporate worship. The Ten Commandments are still effective even though society may not deem them vogue. The Apostle Paul proclaimed it this way,
"I wished he would have lived an gone on trial. I would have liked to have seen if the commonwealth here would have taken it up to the federal government as a hate crime."
The media reports of the church arsons here in my home state of Alabama have awakened people regarding the security of their church campuses. Just a few days ago though, Mr. John Giles of the Alabama Christian Coalition was quoted as saying that
"... these church fires at the hands of these arsonists are nothing more than hate crimes."
As I began to ponder these two unrelated events in our country, I am unimpressed with the mindset of our culture. First of all, I want to clarify my own values. I am well aware of the dark side of our American history in which slavery and racism existed. My childhood memories of traveling to the state farmer's market in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960's with my maternal grandfather brings stark reminders of the time in our land when African-American people were treated harshly and had to use restrooms and water fountains labeled "Colored Only". I personally cringe at those memories while my grandfather and I had access to the facilities labeled "Whites Only". It was in the fall of 1966 that I entered junior high to began school with African-American students in my class for the very first time. The values I learned at home was instilled in my life by god-fearing, hardworking parents. One of those values was the principle of the golden rule found in Matthew 7:12. In those days we learned that principle as "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". I was expected to treat my fellow classmates with respect and dignity regardless of the color of their skin. That was a biblical prinicple that superceded the mindset of the culture of that era. Fast-foward, 40 years later. That principle still stands! Racism is still wrong.
Secondly, the notion of a crime being done with hate as its' motive is not exactly innovative. ALL crime is done with hate as its' motive! Have you ever witnessed a crime done by modern man with love as its' motive? The pseudo-intellectual who seeks to dismantle the effectiveness of the Word of God will soon find themselves in a lesson of utter futility. The Ten Commandments are a good rule to live by... PERIOD! These exhortations from the Word of God guide depraved man to exhibit love and concern for his neighbor. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor.... I will NOT murder him. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT covet his wife or his property. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT tell lies about him or her. If I truly love and share concern for my neighbor... I will NOT steal from him or her. Who is my neighbor? Well, that term means more than those who live in proximity to you. My neighbor is my fellow man that I encounter every day in my life. That includes the rich, poor, red, yellow, black, white, mixed raced, and those that don't even share the same values I cherish. In case you don't get the point... If you hate your neighbor... then you CAN and WILL do the things the Word of God forbids in the Ten Commandments.
Thirdly, I can just see two of my favorite high school English teachers, Mrs. Pruett and Mrs. McAlpine, who was the first African-American role model to influence my life in great way, scratching their heads and possibly saying, "The phrase 'hate crime' tends to lean toward being a double-negative." Like saying... "I don't neither!". I was quilty of speaking and writing double-negatives. Those two saints were quick to correct me!
Mr Robido killed people because he hated them. The arsonists who set the fires to the churches in Alabama did so because they hated the people who used these campuses for their corporate worship. The Ten Commandments are still effective even though society may not deem them vogue. The Apostle Paul proclaimed it this way,
"The entire law is summed up in a single command, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' ". Galatian 5:14
Amen and Amen! Let's get off the hate crime soapbox.
posted by J.D. Rector at 11:29 AM
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