Defining Hate Crime

* Re “Hate Crimes in the Name of God?” Voices, Jan. 6: In the past, when someone said something that made a tyrannical king feel uncomfortable, the king would treat the speech as a crime and have the person thrown in prison, or worse. Now Bob Minick wants us to treat speech that makes him feel uncomfortable as a hate crime.

Minick tries to make it seem that it’s about other people denying him his right to free speech, but in reality, this is about Minick trying to deny others their right to free speech, by persuading us that certain kinds of speech are “crimes.” After all, two angry ladies rudely expressing an opinion that I’m headed for hell would not stop me from speaking my mind unless I chose to let it. But decreeing that my speech could be a “hate crime” could certainly stop me from speaking my mind openly.

Fortunately, the 1st Amendment is still in effect. If, instead, we lived in Minick’s world, this letter would be considered a hate crime.

ADAM BENESCHAN

Mission Viejo

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I do not believe that it is right for people to yell at Minick and tell him that he is going to hell. At the same time, I find it hypocritical when he complains that there are Christians who are shutting off public discourse in community after community across the land. What is Minick doing by arguing against allowing creationism to be taught along with evolution?

CHRIS HEARN

San Diego