is this issue of which side to see hate crimes from.
On one side are the perpetrators of these crimes. I've heard people saying that maybe we need to find out why they committed the crimes they did. Is it a question of the have-nots against the haves? Is it a case of not being able to discriminate good from evil? Is it because of ignorance of the different kinds of people in the world? Is it because of psychological disorders?
On the other side are those who have lost loved ones in these hate crimes. For them there are no answers. There are no earthly reasons for why their loved ones became victims of someone's hatred. They cannot find any justice in these acts of violence. They cannot understand what is being proved here.
The loss of a loved one is an irreparable loss. Nothing can justify that. I'm talking about the victims of hate crimes. Their families lose their sense of direction. There does not seem to be any reason for why their loved ones became someone's victim. They cast about in their minds for something to hold on to. And no one has any answers for them. It's just something that happened. A loved one came in the way....a loved one was mistaken for someone else and took the bullet.
There is really no justification for any kind of crime. We battle this in so many ways, every day - small crimes, big crimes....crimes of all shapes, sizes and colors....but a crime is a crime. What we need to learn is how to deal with these.....
What about the perpetrators? Increasingly I'm coming to see that they are really not my concern - the State will need to take care of them - do whatever it is the judge hands down in a court of law.
We help the living to cope with their pain and loss...we stand up for them and with them...