HB5422 would require that anyone convicted of a “hate crime” to attend “anti-bias” training or participate in a community service program.
The House passed HB5422 on April 30, 2024, by a vote of 140 to 6. We have assigned pluses to the nays because “hate crime” legislation is a farce being promoted by those who falsely believe it is the duty of government to right every wrong. This concept is not merely impossible, but dangerous in a free society. Since not all “hate” is or can be made criminal (e.g., anger, envy, or lust), the legitimate powers of government extend only to acts that are injurious to others (e.g., murder, theft, or rape). Civil authorities have a dual role of both securing the right to life, liberty, and property for each person and punishing anyone who deprives it, regardless of the perpetrator’s motivations or the victim’s sex, race, religion, etc. The power to arrest, prosecute, or retry a person based on allegations of a “hate crime”—which is a misnomer for government thought control—is not one that should be granted to any state agency or court system. No matter how unpopular, elusive, or detestable someone or their ideas may be, the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment require an “impartial jury,” prevent double jeopardy, and guarantee “due process” with “equal protection of the laws.”
