Search Results for "hate crimes raymaker"
Hate Crimes vs. Regular Crimes and Issues of Reporting
Published July 08, 2009 @ 04:00PM PT
From BBC News, a charity in Wales has been investigating hate crimes against disabled people. The conclusion: more hate crimes happen than are reported, hate crimes are less often recognized for what they really are, and people who have committed hate crimes are getting lighter sentences than they deserve. Sound like some common themes from this post, and this post, and this post, and this post?
From the story it sounds like Wales (and if anyone more local to Wales is reading this please correct me if I'm wrong) has a much better anti-hate crimes policy than the U.S. (hopefully we'll have better soon). And yet, this has done little good when violence or abuse are not being reported as hate crimes, even when they are being reported at all. Hate crimes as in the abuse was done specifically because the person has a disability.
Some reasons for this cited in the article are the difficulty in recognizing that abuse was done because the person is disabled, lack of the victim being able to report the abuse as a hate crime, and lack of hate crimes education on the part of law enforcement.
Of course it would be best if the reasons for hate crimes would go away and there would be a greater acceptance of diversity in the world. However, until then, in addition to solid anti-hate crimes legislation, we need solid education for both potential victims and law enforcement of what hate crimes against people with disabilities look like.
No Hate Crimes; Safer School Buses
Published July 08, 2009 @ 10:03AM PT
The Matthew Shepard Act is something I've been following here, but in a relatively abstract way. What does the bill, if it passes, actually mean? What are some of the practical applications for people on the spectrum?
Media Dis & Dat links into a post from School Transportation News headlined Federal hate crimes bill would protect students with disabilities on school buses. The article is just about the Matthew Shepard Act and doesn't mention school buses, but the fact that it was posted on a school transportation site implies that the school transportation folks are thinking about it.
Kristina has followed some school bus abuse articles (and also here, and here). Without getting into details, people were not kind to me the yellow school bus 30+ years ago. School bus hate crimes are a big problem, both past and present.
If the bill is passed, those found guilty of injuring a person based on their disability could be imprisoned for up to 10 years. If a person is found guilty of killing, kidnapping or sexually abusing someone because of their disability, or even attempting any of the aforementioned crimes, the maximum prison sentence would be life. In addition to disabilities, the Matthew Shepard Act would protect people injured or murdered because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
One reason why abuse of autistics continues is because the consequences of getting caught are often minimal, especially compared to the consequences if the abused person was in a privileged class. So a bill like the Matthew Shepard Act would start helping some with that issue.
Hate crimes and abuse are complex however; there may be more to it than just a piece of legislation.
Still, stronger sentencing is a huge step in the right direction.
Hate Crimes Are Hate Crimes Are Hate Crimes...
Published May 01, 2009 @ 04:00PM PT
This isn't my "official" B.A.D.D. post, but it's definitely still in the spirit of the day--
Yesterday the U.S. House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and now it's onwards to the Senate! Huzzah! This bill is an anti-discrimination act that affects quite a lot of us.
AAPD put up a lovely page 'o quotes earlier this week that goes to show that hate crimes based on sexual orientation and hate crimes based on gender and hate crimes based on disability and hate crimes based on race, color, religion, or national origin are all equally unacceptable.
"Too many times when heinous crimes are committed against people with disabilities, these offenses either go unreported or unprosecuted as hate crimes, even if the circumstances clearly show the victim was targeted because of a disability. AAPD strongly supports the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which, if passed, will help protect people with disabilities from those who commit violent, bias-motivated crimes by giving law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute these crimes." --Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
More change.org coverage at Gay Rights. And here's how you can take direct action--this bill isn't just for gay rights, it's for disability rights, and human rights too!
Monday Autism News Potpourri
Published July 13, 2009 @ 09:49AM PT
Updates:
1. Fight Club
In bad news for the residents, the actual fight club videos are currently not being allowed as evidence in the trial. This decision is currently under appeal. The defense is asserting that the cell phone with the videos was stolen and illegally accessed by police; the prosecution is asserting that the cell phone was in fact abandoned in a public place (the story as it originally broke btw makes this assertion). The trial will continue regardless of the outcome of the cell phone appeal, however the video is, obviously, a very strong piece of evidence for the defense.
2. Psycho Donuts
On July 25 - 26, a representative each from Psycho Donuts and a mental health organization will discuss the issue of stigma on TV. Some of the donuts are described in the post, and yeah, they are pretty offensive,
"Should my friend, who suffered major head trauma after a drunken driver hit him two weeks ago, enjoy the doughnut M.H.T., for massive head trauma - a doughnut with an X for each eye, a frown and a smudge of red frosting on the side of the frosted face?" writes Stapleton [a staff writer for Palm Beach Post]. "I am not laughing."
Um. Yeah. Me neither.
Broadcast details: Channel 2 KTVU Saturday July 25 at 6:30 a.m.; KICU TV36 on Sunday July 26 at 9 a.m.; Comcast on Demand the week after July 26.
Actions:
1. Matthew Shepard Act
Very soon, as early as this Wednesday, July 15, the Senate will vote on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This act has already passed in the House. Now is the time to get loud and get personal--call or fax your Senators and urge them to support this very important piece of public health and safety legislation.
2. Judge Sotomayor
For anyone who is in a position to do so and is so inclined, a letter of support of Sotomayor to be signed by disability organizations is available. If interested, here is more information and the text of the letter with some signatures.
Monday Autism News Potpourri
Published July 20, 2009 @ 09:50AM PT
Big News -- Last week the senate passed the Matthew Shepard act anti-hate crimes legislation. Many thanks to all of you who contacted your congress critters about that! The bill still has a way to go however, as the article notes. It's not a done deal, as, among other things, it is being amended to a defense bill that may not pass (U.S. policy making--not always making much semantic sense).
Little Followup -- There's a New York Magazine interview with Hugh Dancy who plays Adam in the film Adam. To the reporter, yes, it is crass to insinuate that someone is less lovable if they are less physically attractive since it doesn't "make up for" being autistic. Otherwise, this is just a little followup blurb.
Little News -- The new Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez has been confirmed. She comes from a strong disability background, including being disabled herself. Nothing about us without us.
Big Followup -- I did a main post on Specialisterne earlier this year. Specialisterne ("the specialists") is a Danish company that believes in the value of autistic interest and skills in the workplace, and promotes strengths-based, supported employment. One of the (many) cool things about Specialisterne is that it doesn't automatically assume that a person on the spectrum is only suited for cleaning toilets or other sterotyped menial labor. Instead the company finds skilled technical work for people with a love for detail, and yes, specialization.
Felt that bore some repeating because it's a thriving, successful business model that is now expanding into other countries. According to the BBC, Specialisterne is setting up a new branch in Scotland. Most excellent. Here is some video coverage as well. Perhaps someday there will be a branch in my own town? Perhaps they'd enjoy employing me? Heh.
Monday Autism News Potpourri
Published June 15, 2009 @ 10:30AM PT
1. Actions: NextStep has put out three important action alerts.
Urge the Senate to pass the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill. Recall that we had a tremendous victory for this bill recently when it passed in the House. This is an anti-discrimination bill that affects a lot of different people, people on the spectrum included. It's time to urge the Senate now to pass this important bill!
Ratify UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I covered the Convention a little a million years ago (a.k.a. the beginning of January) in relation to some self advocacy manuals from Harvard. The Convention is a human rights document which focuses on social model thinking.
Support the Community Choice Act. If you follow this blog regularly, I've been reporting in on this since the federal government decided to bail on its promise to include the Community Choice Act in health care reform last April. For those who don't follow this blog regularly, here's the coverage. This bill is important for any autistic person who needs long term supports and services, in order to ensure that they are able to, if they desire, live in the community. There are also two related actions here at change.org, Community Choice Act in Health Care Reform and Sign the AAPD Petition for Health Care Reform.
2. Cuts: This week on budget cut watch, just one new item to report: California May End Social Programs. This article is especially interesting in that it repeats the tax issue that Pennsylvania brought up. Is it true that what the state gets in return for our lives is really just looking good to people who are unwilling to pay a little so that we can survive? If the public was better aware of the consequences of them not wanting to pay a few extra bucks to the state a month, would they still be against paying it?
3. Coincidences: Last week I posted on voting access issues, and one day later the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on voter access issues. The report finds that while conditions have improved since 2000 when last examined in detail, they are still quite unacceptable. JFActivist has further comments on the report.
