Dec 18, 2004 - Burnaby Now
By: Mark Weintraub
Hate must be stopped
The kind of attack that Aaron Webster tragically suffered was not only motivated against an individual, but is part of a larger pathology of group hatred, tearing at the very fabric of our diverse society. The gay community has long suffered discrimination and abuse. We, as Canadians, have made great strides in recent years but hate crime statistics reveal that members of this community are still disproportionately targeted.
All of us must have a keen interest not only in reducing but indeed in eliminating violence against minorities in our society. Last summer, it was a young Filipino boy, and several years ago it was a beloved caretaker of a Sikh institution whose lives were senselessly brought to an end by those who were filled with vitriolic hatred. Every such violent act undermines the harmony and peacefulness in our cities, province and country.
As a human rights organization within the Jewish community, the Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region has long been concerned with the proliferation of hate and bias crimes in British Columbia. It has advocated for a well-funded provincial hate crime team, the compilation of hate crime statistics, and special sentencing provisions for hate crimes.
Our society recognizes that an attack motivated by hate, whether it is due to a person's race, colour, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, creates an additional element of fear for other members of that group and seriously undermines those pillars our society is built on: democracy, equality, respect for diversity and the rule of law. The congress has confidence that a decision to appeal the acquittal will be given full consideration by the Crown.
We also believe that in the upcoming sentencing of the individual convicted, Criminal Code provisions calling for a more severe punishment for hate motivated crimes will be appropriately applied.
Mark Weintraub,
chair, Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region
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