as for gang graffitti ..it's already against the law .. it's called malicous destruction of property.. and it can be a felony if it's over a certain amount of damage and/or illegal entry (burglary) is involved .. and penalty can include compensation for repealce and/repair at present replacement value ie: you smash a five year old 32 inch TV .. you buy the victim a brand new 32 inch TV (no depreciation allowed) ..

re a sign of hate.. ask any black person .. nooses mean lynchings ... and the law would be for placing them on private property or spaces .. there's trespass involved .. also ..listening to talk radio .. I hear so many familiar voices saying there shouldn't be any hate crime laws .. yet .. when a white is attacked .. they same callers are yelling for hate crime charges .. also .. what if a black person .. or Latino put a noose on your front porch s??? and finally .. I find it remarkable that so many conservatives bleat about how people don't show respect or courtesy to each other yet think that political correctness .. like rspecting one's racial, cultural, medical, religious .. etc.. background doesn't need protection .. by the way .. about retarded .. as a couple of portetrs have noted .. what if your kid had cerebal palsy ..how would you feel if if someone said to you: "Hey, how's the spastic doing in school?""

pollitcal corrctness or a punch in tnhe chops ..

This article says: ?make it a felony to hang a noose as a symbol?. That?s right, a felony. People do dumb stuff all of the time, as a prank, joke or just goofing off. So legislators want to make having a noose a Felony? What Americans don?t understand is Americans are loosing their freedom, one law at a time. As I have previously read on a post: ?I recently saw Senator Jim Webb on a talk show. He pointed out that the United States has some 2-3 million citizens in jail, about the highest ratio of incarcerated citizens in the world.? May I add what is wrong with our system? We Americans live by more laws (federal, state, local) and threats of fines, arrest and incarceration than the citizens of all Communist countries combined. Billboards in California proclaim ?even Communists are free to smoke?. The United State is becoming (did I say becoming?) a legislative police state. Think about it - - - it is your freedom. I need to agree with Duggo, semicharmed, viennagirl and desideratum.

I find ironic that we would bring racism into hate crime legislation. 10's of thousands of American soldiers died at the hands of the swastika toting Nazis....they weren't all Jewish, and many American Indians and non-black criminals were hung in the late 1800's. So why can't a hate crime just be about hate ?

A swastika is known to be offensive to the Jewish culture, and a noose is the same for African-Americans

Just like John61 said.. if this symbol, then why not all symbols that are regarded as "hateful"?? Why is the noose (been around forever, witches, the wild west, England, early settlers...) is all of sudden the hate crime de jour? So, if I had a noose placed on my property it would symbolize ... I'm a witch? And if I was a witch and cried hate crime would anyone listen??

I've reached the point where I'm offended that people feel they're offended-ness enables them to dictate how the rest of us are supposed to react to something, a symbol, a word, a saying, lyrics, etc.. The problem is someone somewhere is going to be offended by something - it will never end. Get over it.

Think about this ... Advocates said the word "retarded" hurts the self-esteem of those with mental disabilities.

Guess what people. Good news: RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Virginia legislators took a step Tuesday toward doing away with "the R-word."

really ... the R-word. What The..? So, let me guess, ONLY the retarded can use the R-word now?? I imagine for the non-retarded, it's now a "hate crime" to use the R-word.

Viennagirl... Please get off the "everybody" trail. It is a very weak argument. If you hang a noose in your yard I don't care. Honestly. If that is what makes your day then more power to you.

But if you hang it out in public space then it becomes an issue and this is what this addresses.

Stop downplaying something you may have been fortunate not to have gone through.

Do you also feel the same about rape? I hope not, because it would fit your twisted analogy.

I'm not Jewish and I'm not a woman, but I have sympathy for what each group has had to suffer through and still do today.

Considering all things, is that still too much to ask for? Understanding? The only reason this is an issue is because the real hate still exist. Eliminate that hate first and then the laws will ease.

Hate crime is a redundant phrase as most if not all crimes against people/animals are based on hatred for someone or something. A noose by itself is not a crime. Trespassing on someones property to place it there, as well as slipping it around someone's neck and hanging them is. I realize for some a noose is a symbol of hatred but the symbol itself should not be criminalized. If it is used to intimidate then the perpetrator should be prosecuted for intimidation, regardless of the method or the symbol used. Many people throughout history of all races, colors and creeds have been hanged -- both justly and unjustly. They've also been beaten, stabbed, strangled, shot or thrown to the lions yet we haven't outlawed those symbols of violence (fists, bats, knives, guns, lions, etc.) because it would be impossible.

These liberals have nothing else to do at the State House? Why not deport the illegals first and lower our property tax and sales taxes first. What a bunch of crap!

John, I agree, one only has to look at the murders in LA over street turf, an innocent black girl murdered, and old men who have nothing to do with gangs, murdered by Latino gangs because of the color of their skin walking on the "wrong" street. These tags mark the territory, this absolutely is race hatred related and should be treated as such. Pachacutec, the only thing I can think of is Halloween decorations? But that's kind of thin, and anyone who sticks a noose on someone else's property is wrong to do so, it is hateful. It would frighten anyone, no matter what race.

As the subject of this article was nooses, that was what I addressed. However, John61, you make an excellent point. Hate crimes are ugly and disgusting, no matter what the races of the victims OR the perpetrators of the crimes.

So as long as it is not on the person then it is not a hate crime. OK nice loop hole MD. But wouldn't putting a noose on someone's person, in the VERY least, be some type of assault charge or attempted murder?

I agree, but while there at it, why don't you add gang graffiti to the list. It is put up on property to instill fear and hatred by letting others know that they now own your area. I know that I will get flack for this one, and yes I know what the symbol of the noose is for and where it came from. But please understand how many people are killed,raped and robbed over gang symbols. Fair is Fair. If you want it a hate crime for one race then we should demand all symbols of hate be made a crime....

I think leaving nooses on peoples' property SHOULD be added to hate crimes; I mean, can anyone give me one - just ONE!? - reason WHY you would leave a noose somewhere other than to instill fear or hatred into people? As far as I'm concerned, nooses are right up there with the flaming crosses and have no place in a civilized society.