Man who hit crying baby on plane ~ A hate crime?

[neveensaffron]

Should the man who hit the baby on the plane be charged with a hate crime?

He first called the baby the N word then hit the baby for crying.
Wouldn't that fall under the requirements? It was a racially fueled attack.

[neveensaffron]

Just something I thought of earlier:

If he did this on a plane, full of witnesses AND the mother, what would he have done in private??

I'm worried for any children in his life, past and present.

People usually mellow with age. How did he treat his own kids when he was younger and stronger?

*pure speculation, I have no idea about anything in his life*

[bellawomen]

I don't think it was racially fueled.  I do think it was fueled by an idiot under the influence of alcohol.  I am not discounting his racial comments, but I do not think it was the primarly cause of his attack on the child.  The guy is a fucking idiot and I hope he gets the book thrown at him.

[talia-mom]

He didn't hit the baby because he was black.  

[Radarma]

 

Quoting talia-mom:

He didn't hit the baby because he was black.  

 Ahhhh, but you don't know that.

Question might be: would he have slapped a nonblack baby?

I think it very well may be a hate crime.

[meriana]

There's really no evidence that it was a racially fueled attack other then the language used. Yes the man is guilty of hate, he hated/hates to be annoyed or disturbed in any way, especially when he'd had a few drinks. However, if hating being annoyed or having a strong dislike for being annoyed is a hate crime, then we've probably all been guilty of it at some point in our lives, we just don't act on it in a physically harmful manner although our language at such times is probably questionable. According to another post, the man lost his job which, in my opinion, he should have and he'll now face assault charges, also appropriate. Yep there are hate crimes as determined by legal definition but we need to be careful not to allow or use a broader definition lest every bad, unthinking, inappropriate act or use of language be deemed a hate crime

[Woodbabe]

He sure sounds racist but I think he would have snapped and hit the child no matter what color of skin he had.

[Euphoric]

 I would just charge him with an asshole crime.

[..MoonShine..]

That is a very good question. As it is, I don't know that there would be enough evidence to support charging him with a hate crime.

Quoting Radarma:

 

Quoting talia-mom:

He didn't hit the baby because he was black.  

 Ahhhh, but you don't know that.

Question might be: would he have slapped a nonblack baby?

I think it very well may be a hate crime.

[Radarma]

 

Quoting Euphoric:

 I would just charge him with an asshole crime.

 This really hit me in a good place, thanks for the smiles.

No doubt, an asshole crime.

[Sky_Princess11]

Black or not he shouldn't have put his hand on the child...Yes the baby was crying but only because of the elevation change if he didn't like it he should have asked to be moved if possible. I was on a plane with my daughter around his age and yes her ears were bugging her because she told me but if someone laid a hand on my child I would have asked to be moved and then when we land pursue with pressing charges.