Killing legislation is a crime

"A crime is a crime is a crime." Rep. Curtis Oda's words as he voted to kill the hate-crimes bill haunt me. If Rep. Oda is right, burning a cross in a black family's front yard is equal to toilet-papering the neighbor's trees.

If Rep. Oda is right, a murderer stalking his victim, lying in wait, then repeatedly plunging a knife into her is the same as a new gun owner target practicing in the back yard only to have a single bullet travel two streets away and strike a child at play.

If Rep. Oda is right, our World War II internment of American citizens of Japanese descent is akin to police detaining an innocent suspect during an investigation.

If Rep. Oda is right, the Holocaust was no more heinous because Nazis targeted specific groups: Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, people with mental or physical disabilities.

Once again our lawmakers had the chance to speak loudly against hate and bigotry and the crimes committed because of them. Once again they chose not to. Perhaps indeed "a crime is a crime is a crime."

Julene E. Fisher

West Valley City