Editor,
A hate crime is not "punishing someone for what he thinks," as Richard Berthold claims in his column published in the Daily Lobo on Thursday, but for what he does. It is because of seemingly intellectual propaganda such as this that today, the "Namaste Kicker" is likely to be let off with no more than a slap on the wrist.
Shame on the Daily Lobo for relegating the obvious, violent, serial hate crime cluster to third place behind the Mexican flag-tearing and the harassment of the American Indian celebrity. Shame on our University for not assigning an attorney to advocate for so many UNM student victims. Shame on our district attorney's office for likely remaining so pissed that well-known, paranoid schizophrenic John Hyde was declared "not competent to stand trial" for murdering police officers that they are now likely getting back at our town by letting off this methodical hate criminal Turan Johnson with the same declaration.
Shame on our country for allowing the hate criminal to seduce them by giving this as his reason for his violent spree: "We are at war with them." He was involved with an Ayurvedic institute for at least two years. He has got to know we are not at war with India. Shame on our global media for not recognizing that this hate crime will likely make it into a future textbook as an obvious example. So, let us have a punishment to fit the crime - no more diluting of its definition.
Arun Ahuja
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UNM student
