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Originally Posted by RU OX Alum
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Originally Posted by MysticCat
What would be the criminal act?
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threat of violence, depending on the context, issue over believes, etc. |
But where is the threat of violence? There isn't one.
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Although it is quite clearly harassment, and that's a crime (usually), and crimes are usually based on hate.
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Originally Posted by RU OX Alum
That kind of sounds like it would vary by state, but I am not an attorney.
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You may not be an attorney, but you are right that it would vary by state. In North Carolina, where this incident took place, a "hate crime" requires an assualt or damage to or defacement of property (or an actual threat of assault or damage to or defacement of property). And even if there were such a thing as simple "criminal harrassment" in North Carolina (there's really not -- there are crimes for harassing behavior in specific circumstances, like sexual harassment or stalking), I can't imagine that what happened here -- a one-time event, apparently -- could possibly support criminal charges.
I think lots of people are confusing ideas like hate crimes and criminal harassment with concepts like civil actions for hostile work environment or the like.