‘Unmasking Antifa Act' includes 15-year prison term proposal

[Whirlin]

My personal thoughts, if you are wearing a mask, you obviously don't want people to know who you are. Why don't you want people to know who you are? Are you about to do something illegal? Are you doing something morally or ethically wrong? Or is it halloween?
As long as just wearing a mask by itself isn't illegal, I don't have any issue with this law. It basically boils down to "Don't break the law and especially don't try to conceal yourself while breaking it."
BTW, it makes it illegal to wear the full KKK hoods too. It ain't just ANTIFA.

It seems dumb and vague, and seems like it can be used against protests with it's vagueness.
Assault someone? 5 years. Assault someone while wearing a 'mask'? 15 years.
Quotes around mask also makes me wonder jurisdiction and they're going to use it as a cyberlaw or something.

[Ashlander]

What happens if they do all that but aren't wearing a mask though?

And does this apply to ninjas? If so that's racist. Not that they would get caught, but still.

Fake ninjas everyone knows real ninjas can't be photographed.

[SonoftheNorth]

Assault someone? 5 years. Assault someone while wearing a 'mask'? 15 years.

[Tgo01]

It seems dumb and vague, and seems like it can be used against protests with it's vagueness.
Assault someone? 5 years. Assault someone while wearing a 'mask'? 15 years.
Quotes around mask also makes me wonder jurisdiction and they're going to use it as a cyberlaw or something.

How is it vague? It's written pretty clearly.

[Wrathbringer]

Then I suppose all crimes should have identical sentencing gudelines?

You're retarded.

[Taernath]

Because in and of itself it is using race to determine if one crime is more severe than another?

Would you agree there's a difference between murdering a black man, and murdering a black man because he is black? Motives play a role in sentencing, hate crime laws are no different.

[time4fun]

Would you agree there's a difference between murdering a black man, and murdering a black man because he is black? Motives play a role in sentencing, hate crime laws are no different.

This.

Hate crimes aren't simple assaults/murders/etc. They're acts of terror. They affect the community differently, and the long-term psychological consequences for the victims are more severe.

It's the same reason why setting off a car bomb to insight terror in the local population gets a more severe sentence than setting one off for kicks.

Gaguing the number of victims and the severity of the impact on them is ALWAYS factored into sentencing. Hate crimes aren't a special case, but treating them like they are just normal crimes would be making them one.

[Tgo01]

This.

Hate crimes aren't simple assaults/murders/etc. They're acts of terror. They affect the community differently, and the long-term psychological consequences for the victims are more severe.

It's the same reason why setting off a car bomb to insight terror in the local population gets a more severe sentence than setting one off for kicks.

Gaguing the number of victims and the severity of the impact on them is ALWAYS factored into sentencing. Hate crimes aren't a special case, but treating them like they are just normal crimes would be making them one.

Surely you're in favor of tacking on additional charges if people are targeted for their political view or for exercising their rights then. After all they affect the community differently and the long-term psychological consequences for the victims are more severe.

Or are you against this particular bill because it was introduced by Republicans or because Antifa generally targets Republicans. Or is it both? You are so intellectually dishonest it's quite honestly disgusting.

[Gelston]

It seems dumb and vague, and seems like it can be used against protests with it's vagueness.
Assault someone? 5 years. Assault someone while wearing a 'mask'? 15 years.
Quotes around mask also makes me wonder jurisdiction and they're going to use it as a cyberlaw or something.

I see it as an aggravating charge. Robbery is illegal, but if you do it with a gun it is even more serious.

Would you agree there's a difference between murdering a black man, and murdering a black man because he is black? Motives play a role in sentencing, hate crime laws are no different.

I don't really see a difference, no. If someone murders someone, they obviously hate someone. I don't think there is a difference between one 1st degree murder and another.

Hate crimes existed as a way for the Federal Government to get involved because local law wasn't doing anything. I think we are beyond that.

[RichardCranium]

Then I suppose all crimes should have identical sentencing gudelines?

It's politicizing a justice system that should essentially be apolitical. Do you believe that there should exist a hierarchy of victims?