Hate vs. State of North Carolina

As stated by Guilford College's President in response to activities recently occurring on school grounds.

September 19, 2009To the Guilford College Community:In 2003, President Kent Chabotar established the Bias Incident Group to respond forcefully, and in a timely and sensitive manner, to anonymous acts of bias on our campus. It is important that these acts—that stifle freedom of inquiry and expression—not go unanswered. The formation of the Bias Incident Group for the 2009 – 2010 academic year is nearing completion and in the absence of a formal group, President Chabotar issues the following response.In order to concentrate on the most serious incidents and capture the attention of the campus community, an incident must have four characteristics in order to warrant a response. Besides being (1) serious and (2) perpetrated by anonymous persons, the incident should also be (3) public and widely known as well as (4) viewed as clearly threatening to a person or group.Guilford College operates under core values that are directly based on the Quaker Testimonies. Equality is both a Quaker Testimony and a Core Value of the college. This community will not tolerate acts based on bigotry and hatred.On Monday, September 14 a student informed Residence Life and Public Safety that a note was left on his Bryan Hall room door the prior evening containing the following message: "Die you MF fag. Nobody wants your kind on campus.” On Thursday, September 17, at approximately 11:30 pm someone dropped a rock and a note in the same student’s open, residence hall room window. This note contained the following message: “I hope it hit you in the [f---ing] head faggot. You don’t deserve life like the rest of the world. It’s bad enough with out all the gay crap pulling people down. It’s sick, unnatural, and death is almost too good for you. Almost.”Clearly these messages are harassment in violation of numerous college policies and are criminal acts under state and federal law. The Greensboro Police Department is actively involved in the investigation of this matter and campus officials will cooperate with local authorities to ensure that those responsible will be held accountable both off campus and on campus.There is no room whatsoever at Guilford for persecution, oppression and harassment of individuals or groups. Those who perpetrate acts such as this challenge our intent to maintain the atmosphere of freedom that is essential for learning and civil society. Those who—out of prejudice, ignorance, or hatred—intimidate and silence others by their words or actions undermine us all. If you have any information about the individuals responsible please contact Public Safety at x2908.

Let us see just what the State of North Carolina has to say about hate crimes...

General Statutes § 14‑401.14. - ETHNIC INTIMIDATION

§ 14‑401.14. Ethnic intimidation; teaching any technique to be used for ethnic intimidation.
(a) If a person shall, because of race, color, religion, nationality, or country of origin, assault another person, or damage or deface the property of another person, or threaten to do any such act, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(b) A person who assembles with one or more persons to teach any technique or means to be used to commit any act in violation of subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1991, c. 493, s. 1; 1993, c. 332, s. 1; c. 539, s. 283; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 14, s. 14(b); c. 24, s. 14(c); 1995, c. 509, s. 10.)

In conjunction with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) there has been a bill (HB 207) proposed to the House. Click here to read the entire bill.

In summary, this bill would amend existing hate crimes law to add sexual orientation and gender identity as covered categories [as well as increased penalties].

Without the passing of this bill and without the efforts of groups and organizations like the HRC, the threats made against human lives and even death incurred by hate will continue to go unpunished sufficiently.

"We hate some persons because we do not know them; and will not know them because we hate them." ~Charles Caleb Colton