Hate Crimes

The population of South Carolina is 4,668,211 people as of 2011. In 2011 there were 135 cases of hate crimes. South Carolina only covers institutional vandalism under their hate crimes statutes. It does not cover race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability.

The Hate Crime legislation in South Carolina is as follows:

1.     It is unlawful for 2 or more people to conspire to injure, oppress, or violate a person or their property because of their political opinion. It is also unlawful to oppress the rights of another given by the Constitution of the United States, or the State of South Carolina. (The charge for the crime isn’t found)

2.     It is unlawful to place a burning cross (or the image of a burning cross) in a public place. It is also unlawful to place a burning cross (or the image of one) on private property without consent from the owner. (The charge for the crime isn’t found)

3.     Whoever vandalizes or defaces a place of worship, and those who aid in the act, or conspire to do the act, are guilty of a felony.

4.     Willfully causing a fire or explosion to a place of worship, or a private school, or a public school is guilty of arson.

News report Regarding Hate Crimes:

In November 2012, a church in Greenville, South Carolina was vandalized by having their window broken and their church pews, pulpit, and Sunday School rooms sprayed with a fire extinguisher. At some point the offenders made themselves coffee and ate cake from the Providence Baptist Church’s refrigerator. The offenders set fire to a church bulletin, and stole 20$ from the children’s playroom. No arrests have been made thus far. The church continues to hold services in the sanctuary regardless of the vandalism to show that the offenders can not bring down their spirits.

Hate Crimes in the Media:

A film was made in 2005 entitled Hate Crime. The film was about a gay couple and their neighbors. One of the men in the couple was attacked (because of his sexual orientation) and subsequently died.  The film’s IMDB page may be found here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415833/.

A book was published in 2004 entitled The Hate Crime. The book is about a vandalism which occurs as a local temple. The book follows a local teen who goes from not seem the gravity the situation entails, to discovering what the words written on the temple mean and the hate the scrawls display, and the terror that is evoked by them. The book is available for purchase here http://www.amazon.com/The-Hate-Crime-Phyllis-Karas/dp/0595331386. 

South Carolina in my opinion needs to update their Hate Law statutes in order to include other type of hate crime under it.  Sexual orientation, gender, religion, and ethnicity are not covered under any statute in South Carolina.