Hate Crime and its Impact on Society



Hate crime is described as a violent act in which the victim is motivated by an intention to harm others of a certain faith, ethnicity, or gender. There has been a substantial rise in terrorist attacks across the world over the last three decades, which has resulted in the worsening of divides, including those focused on faith. Muslims have been subjected to psychological and physical violence in various countries, with the majority of people accusing them of being involved in terrorism. In the grand scheme of things, those events lead to hate crime. The 2017 shooting in Olathe, Kansas, is classified as a hate crime due to its racial overtones. In this paper, an assessment is conducted on the Kansas shooting and its classification as a hate crime.



Background information on the case



On the 22nd February 2017, a white American man of age 51, Adam Purinton shot at two middle age men of Indian origin at a restaurant in Olathe. The attacker mistook the victims for being Iranians and this is why he fired shots at them killing one of the persons instantly and injuring the other (Karimi). According to the white man, the two victims were not American citizens and had no chance to live in the country. A 24-year-old America citizen was also shot and injured when he came to the aid of the Indian friends (BBC News). Witnesses claimed that he yelled that the individuals were not supposed to be in the U.S. and that they were terrorists (Karimi). More than 6 hours after the ordeal, the attacker, Purinton, was arrested after trying to escape to Kansas City.



Analysis of the incident as hate crime



In the past two decades, hate crime trends have been on the increase and this is majorly attributed to issues such as trade wars between countries and terrorism (Blazak 250). During the 2016 American presidential campaigns, the country was divided like never before (Achenbach et al). Most of the pro-Trump supporters occasionally ruffled up with Clinton's supporters. African Americans and immigrants in the country felt sidelined and threatened every time Donald Trump spoke at rallies (The Washington Post). According to the U.S. president, he would tighten immigration policies and some of the countries mainly Islamic would not be allowed to have their citizens get into the country. Indeed, he actualized his promise once he got into office. Travelers from six Muslim dominated countries such as Iran and Afghanistan among others were banned from entering the U.S.



Most researchers argue that Trump's presidency has been the reason behind the rise in hate crime around the U.S. The man behind the Olathe, Kansas shooting was driven by ideologies that had drilled inside his head by the country's head of state who was on several occasions claiming that Islamic countries such as Iran and Iraq among others were home to several terrorists and were the masterminds of various terrorist-related activities around the world (Jim and Hanna). Adam Purinton, filled with hate, mistook Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, Indian citizens for being of Iranian origin and this is why he ended up firing shots at them (BBC News). The incident was received with shock in various corners of the world, with most individuals pointing fingers at Trump for his role in dividing the country.



Measures that need to be adopted in dealing with hate crimes



There are various measures that need to be implemented in dealing with similar occurrences as that at the Olathe, Kansas shooting. Firstly, the Congress, in collaboration with police officers needs to implement strong hate crimes laws (Hudson 14). The law will operate in such a way that any individual involved in hate crime will have to face harsh penalties or punishment including more than 10 years behind bars depending on the extent of the crime as well as hefty fines (Willis 45).



National leaders such as the president, senators, and governors need to be on the frontline in campaigning against hate crimes and encouraging individuals to coexist peacefully irrespective of their religion, culture or race (Bussey 89). In so doing, this will be vital in eliminating cases of hate crimes motivated by racial and religious discriminations (Baron 506). The world needs to know that not all Muslims are terrorists or engage in terrorist-related activities.



Conclusion



Based on the above essay, it is evident that hate crime is a human creation ideology that can also be eliminated. The Olathe, Kansas shooting was racially driven and the attacker Adam Purinton believed that his targets hardly deserve a chance to stay in the U.S. During that time when the attack happened, divisions in the U.S. were wide and they were further strengthened by Trumps calls for deportation of illegal immigrants from the country. Implementation of stringent policies and regulations can be effective in dealing with the vice of hate crimes.



Work Cited



Achenbach, Joel et al. "America Really Is More Divided Than Ever." Washington Post. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



Baron, Marcia. "Hate Crime Legislation Reconsidered." Metaphilosophy 47.4-5 (2016): 504-523. Web.



BBC News. "India Shocked Over US Bar Shooting." BBC News. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



BBC News. "Kansas Suspect 'Said He Killed Iranians'." BBC News. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



Blazak, Randy. "Isn’t Every Crime A Hate Crime?: The Case For Hate Crime Laws." Sociology Compass 5.4 (2011): 244-255. Web.



Bussey, Jennifer A. Hate Crimes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Print.



Hudson, David L. Hate Crimes. New York: Chelsea House, 2009. Print.



Karimi, Faith. "Kansas Shooting: Suspect Opened Up To Bartender." CNN. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



Suhr, Jim, and John Hanna. "Man Accused Of Shooting Three People In Kansas Bar A 'Drunken Mess,' Neighbour Says | The Star." thestar.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



The Washington Post. "Opinion | Trump’s Deportation Tough Talk Hurts Law-Abiding Immigrants." Washington Post. N.p., 2018. Web. 3 May 2018.



Willis, Laurie. Hate Crimes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Print.

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