George Allen criticized for hate-crime switch

Sen. George Allen, who once was criticized by the right for his vote on a federal hate-crimes law, now is getting flak from the left for reversing course.

David M. Smith of the Human Rights Campaign, a national group advocating gay and lesbian rights, scorched Allen in a letter for announcing he would oppose making hate crimes against gay people a federal offense.

"We were very disappointed to read recent news reports that you are flip-flopping on your support for federal hate crimes legislation," Smith wrote Allen, R-Va., last week.

"Pandering to a small segment of Republican presidential primary voters does a grave disservice to the millions of fair-minded Americans of all political affiliations and leaves too many Americans in danger from hate motivated crime," wrote Smith, a vice president of the group. Allen is weighing a 2008 presidential bid.


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Noooooooo!!!!!!!!! I've seen the media reports. Only Dems, Liberals and Leftists pander and flip-flop. (You know...That Liberal Media).

Sad but true.

makes no sense to me whatsoever, here is the one i've and i'm sure you've heard as well--"How can you know what's in anyones heart" OK the answer to that is imo the following, "If you knock over a 7/11 chances are you don't hate the corporation, most likely you need a quick buck, if you drag someone behind a pickup truck because they are black or kill a gay person because of their sexuality i'd say the criminal had hate in his heart, even if it's only self hate"

Intent is and always has been an issue in our justice system.

cowboy as the chimp. What is it with these repukes and their phony county bumpkin get-ups? He looks ridiculous.

on the walls of a high school qualify as a hate crime? Because that's what George Allen did his senior year at Palos Verdes HS in the Los Angeles area back in 1969.(I was in his class and remember the incident well.) No wonder he's squeamish about supporting hate crimes legislation.

That is what we are to the RW. Someone has to be the scapegoat.