Presentation on Hate Crime in the United States

Beginning his presentation, Brett A. Parson introduced the socio-cultural context of the United States. The US is often described as a "melting pot," a country diverse in race, culture, ethnicity, and language. However, this very diversity gives rise to many conflicts, resulting in hateful behavior directed at groups that differ in one or more of these areas. Due to socio-cultural barriers, or a lack of trust in the police force, they do not receive the same support as mainstream citizens. As a police officer, Brett A. Parson's duty is to protect the rights of such communities.

View of the auditorium

Throughout U.S. history, numerous laws have been enacted to protect the rights of marginalized communities and combat hate speech and discrimination. First was the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which prosecuted individuals for acts that violated the rights of others based on race, color, religion, or ethnicity; it protected victims in six areas: enrolling in school, managing a public place/facility, applying for a job, serving as a jury in a state court, or voting. Next was the Violent Crime Control and Administration Act of 1994, which increased penalties for hate crimes stemming from racial, color, religious, ethnic, or gender discrimination. The Church Burning Prevention Act of 1996 prohibited the defacement or destruction of any tangible religious property based on race, color, or ethnicity. Most recently, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009 was enacted to regulate crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Notably, the 2009 Act is named after two victims who died as a result of discriminatory acts (Matthew Shepard was gay and James Byrd was Black).

Brett A. Parson provides several examples of hateful behavior.

Based on the aforementioned laws, Brett A. Parson defines hate crimes as intentional acts expressing hatred, discrimination, or prejudice by the perpetrator based on the status of a victim (or group of victims). Many areas are susceptible to discriminatory acts, from race, color, and religion to gender identity, marital status, physical disability, and political leanings. To illustrate the situation regarding this type of crime in the United States, Brett A. Parson uses the results of a 2015 survey of 7,121 victims of 5,818 acts of personal hate. Of these, 59.2% involved discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or ancestry; 19.7% on religion; 19.8% on gender; and 1.2% on disability. These surveys allow law enforcement to identify target groups requiring protection.

However, Brett A. Parson emphasized that identifying and prosecuting hate crimes is not simple. Police officers must prove the suspect's motive based on facts, objective circumstances, and patterns of related behavior. A set of criteria has been developed to define criminal behavior, including signs such as: the victim being a member of a minority group compared to another group at the time of the incident; the victim participating in activities to support their group; or indicators such as comments and statements made by the suspect. To illustrate, Brett A. Parson recounted a real-life incident where two suspects allegedly stole a phone from a victim who was a member of the LGBT community. According to witness accounts, the two suspects had made homophobic remarks, thus being considered motivated by gender bias.

Following his presentation, Brett A. Parson answered questions from the audience regarding the meaning of several legal concepts; hatred and prejudice within the police force; and the development of anti-hate laws in the United States. Through addressing these questions, Mr. Parson clarified that, like any other legal system, US law has been and continues to be refined and cannot become perfect overnight. Similarly, no one is completely free from prejudice; it can only be discovered and overcome over time.

Associate Professor Hoang Anh Tuan poses for a commemorative photo with Mr. Brett A. Parson.