"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." This motivational quote is from African-American Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King during the time of the civil rights movement in the 1960's. The civil rights movement was a national effort made by African-American people and their supporters during the 1950s and 1960s to end segregation and gain equal rights. Crimes that used to be based simply on hatred for one's race are now directed to people because of religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. These crimes are known as "hate crimes", and can often be prevented. Finding a solution to this problem is not impossible, but it’s a reality that could unite our country. The Britannica Encyclopedia defines a hate crime as" harassment, intimidation, or physical violence that is motivated by a bias against characteristics of the victim considered integral to his social identity, such as his race, ethnicity, or religion." In today’s society, Hate crimes are often undetected so it is hard to determine a regular crime from a hate crime. Officers can identify a hate crime by performing a background …show more content…
The American Psychological Association states: "...not only is it an attack on one's physical self, but is also an attack on one's very identity." Though hate crimes have long been a part of our society, it is only recently that we have given it a title and decided to study, monitor and legislate against it." On September 14, 2005, the House voted, 223-199, to approve a measure designating hate crimes a separate category of federal offense that merited an additional charge. The amendment also added sexual orientation, gender and disability categories to the original hate-crime definition of a violent act based on race, color, religion, or national origin. Laws like these are put in place to help reduce hate crimes and the display of