Attack on evangelical church

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:23 pm

SALEM, Ore. - A man ranting about "the blood" burst into a church sanctuary during a service, sloshed fuel onto people and started a fire, police and church officials said Thursday.

Some parishioners were able to smother the flames with their coats while another group tackled the man, said the Rev. Scott Erickson, pastor of the Peoples Church. Two older women from the congregation were burned when their clothing caught fire.

"He ... was yelling things about the blood, and then he began to sprinkle the fluid and light it," Erickson said. "He was making slurs about things that are most precious to us."

Just wondering why this isn't being classified as a hate crime.

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:34 pm

sounds more like the mentally disturbed ot me.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:50 pm

They must've been terrified!

I don't know how you differentiate "hate" crimes with crimes committed by insane people. If he's insane, is he responsible as perp of a hate crime?

Adam Zapple · Post by **Adam Zapple** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:15 pm

I wouldn't have it be a "hate" crime, cause I think classifying hate crimes is stupid. But since we do it as a society, I'm just wondering why barging into a church, yelling insults/slurs/whatever he said, dousing people with flammable liquid and setting them on fire isn't a hate crime? Had this been a black church or an abortion clinic the term "hate crime" would be reverberating off the walls. Just wonder why it doesn't fit here, that's all. I would classify it as assault, poss attempted murder but certainly not vandalism.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:36 pm

I don't know the answer to this, because "insanity" is a legal definition and it'll be applied if the prosecutor thinks it's appropriate. I'm assuming that, had he pulled the same stunt in a womens' health clinic, he'd be examined in the same way...mentally, etc.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:28 pm

I don't accept "hate crime" either. I think it's more stupid PC crap.

Hating in itself is a personal right, not a crime. It's assault, battery, murder, ETC committed out of hatred that are criminal.

See if the guy's a crackpot first.

skeeter2 · Post by **skeeter2** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:38 am

Crackpot...is A Psycho-ceramic ??

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:56 am

Hi Skeeter. I thought you were being funny but then since I don't know where you live, I realized you may really not know what a crackpot is so...

It comes from "cracked pot" and means the person is a nut. A damaged "pot" so to speak.

:)

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:57 pm

skeeter2;442131 wrote: Crackpot...is A Psycho-ceramic ??

:yh_rotfl Psycho-ceramic. Have you been talking to Charlie Brown again.:-3