Crime Think?

Here comes George Orwell's Thought Police. I noted with irony Nat Hentoff's concern that the U.S. Constitution is being shredded by federal hate crime legislation (while the ACLU fiddles) and on the same page Gordon Oswald is sure, "America is suffering from the very excesses our democracy has provided its citizens," and then "suggest a one-way ticket for Mr. Samu and his family to the country of his choice." ("New 'thought crimes' law is unconstitutional", Media Voices, and "Which America is it?", Letters, May 8)

Hentoff has reason worry. Hate crime legislation does strike at the very heart of democracy. The United States is (was?) on of the the worlds few exceptions that did not punish people for what they thought, but rather for what they did. Oswald is way off-base. We do not go after an entire family for the opinion of one member.

Elsewhere in the world Jesus, Socrates, and Galileo were all imprisoned or executed just for what they thought (their speech being the proof). In modern times Hitler, Idi Amin, and Saddam Hussein executed people for as much as giving the stink-eye (lookism?). I understand free speech does not give one the right to yell fire in a crowded theater -- unless the theater is on fire. Is it?