Wilfred Reilly is a black man and an associate professor of political science at Kentucky State University, a historically Black institution located in Frankfort. Reilly is the author of the upcoming book Hate Crime Hoax that covers hundreds of hate crime hoaxes.
I wonder why they happen as well as why they are so accepted.
Here is his article in USA Today.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/ … 950146002/
I wouldn't want to be the target of either a false hate crime accusation or a false rape accusation.
However, when one considers how many more actual rapes there are than false rape allegations and how many actual hate crimes there are as opposed to false hate crime hoaxes, one has to wonder about those who would spend more of their energy on the false charges than on the actual offenses.
Like any other situation, there are always going to be individuals who try to take advantage of a situation. Think about all the scumbags who spend their time with phishing schemes, trying to rip-off innocent people. There are always going to be people who take advantage of others.
One reason that a lot of these hoaxes are reported is over-eager, under-trained reporters who fall for this stuff and newspaper and tv stations more interested in attracting viewers then in getting to the truth. Remember the old adage: "if it bleeds, it leads."
That said, people who make false allegations are exploiting situations for their own benefit and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
"...one has to wonder about those who would spend more of their energy on the false charges than on the actual offenses."
If you refer to police and the courts there isn't much choice. We do not (thank goodness) give them the ability to declare guilt or innocence without a trial. The charges must be checked. And when found false they must be prosecuted; to fail to do so will do far more damage than "wasting" time in prosecuting them.
Yes, we must take false accusations seriously and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law because they diminish the real accusations.
I'm not referring to the police and the courts, just individuals who would focus their attention more on false accusations than on real ones. Rapes are a good example. Does one spend their energy focusing on violence against women or the few people (as a percentage of the overall number of rapes both reported and unreported) who may be falsely accused?
Probably on the false ones. Why? Is it because they are (relatively) unusual? Is it because they take great offense at the diminishing of true claims? Is it because they feel they have walked that line themselves, if only closely without crossing? Is it fear that they could be accused falsely themselves?
Seems to me that the reason, hidden or very apparent, makes a big difference.
I think the part of the public who falls for them either grew up in, or have chosen to live in areas with little racial diversity. They see things in black and white and choose to use color only to judge events. Those of us participating in a multicultural environment understand that many acts can, on the surface, be judged racially motivated but people are just people, and many times the impetus has nothing to do with color.
Hate crimes are real and true hate crimes should be punished to the extent of the law, as should any act of violence. But judging something as a hate crime just because of skin color is ridiculous and fabricating hate crimes is an exercise in racial hatred.
Do you think our society has been conditioned to believe only white people are racist and commit racist acts? Gays are always innocent victims. Is this why these hoaxes are able to happen so often? Could our society handle it if this was proven to not be true? Is it easier to simply follow what society says is true rather than dealing with facts and the truth?
I think we are wired to defend the underdog. So, any minority will probably garner more sympathy if claimed they are attacked. Nor do I think proving claims to be false will make the majority stop failing for it. Rumors are a beloved part of segments of society also. The more negative, the more that type of personality feeds on it.
Gossip. It's called gossip, and is no different on the web today than it was 100 years ago over the back fence. We see more of it now, perhaps, but the anonymity of the web is a great cloak to hide behind when doing something you know is wrong.
Indeed! The internet is a place particularly susceptible to unsubstantiated stories, making it increasingly likely people will become increasingly unable to decipher fact from fiction.
This discussion already has some thought-provoking ideas. I've pondered whether the people who fall for them are actually the ones who would commit them if they could get by with it.
I found this article to be relatively on point as to why we are being bombarded with fake hate crimes.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/43 … eral-media
LtL, excellent article. The first sentence says it all "The Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax has once again brought the double standard of the liberal media and their role as propagandists into full view."
by R.Cochran 12 years ago
Are hate crimes bias? Are hate laws just a way to make other ethnic and social groups feel better?If you are white and mugged by a group of people from another race, can you claim a hate crime? If you are straight and the mugger is gay, can you claim hate crime? Why should hate crime legislation...
by ga anderson 10 months ago
As a tangent to a tangent on another topic about British and American cultural differences, this issue looks like a good barometer. From a Baby-Boomers' perspective, it's so obviously the wrong direction that it denies human reality and makes Orwell's 1984 look like non-fiction, and Hollywood's...
by Liv Carradine 9 years ago
A white man walked into a church and shot down 9 people, including a pastor. Rightfully it is being considered a hate crime. The coward is still at large. Are you shocked that this happened in 2015?
by Readmikenow 3 years ago
It seems that Jussie Smollett committed a hate crime hoax. He paid two men to beat him up. Smollett paid for the bleach that was thrown on him as well as the noose that was put around his neck. There is even video of him rehearsing the crime.It is a horrible thing as it does take...
by Captain Redbeard 13 years ago
I have heard a lot of the gay rights movements comparing themselves the civil rights movements in the 60's. They say that their struggle for equality is the same as Black people's struggle and women’s equality and such. Is it the same thing?I don't know much about what gay people are deprived of...
by Jimbo'daNimbo 13 years ago
Should there not be some sort of action by our justice department against the New Black Panthers and Spike Lee for fomenting vigilante justice? This is a crime after all to conspire someones death.I agree action is slow on the other side of this issue but this sort of response is reprehensible.
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