Blog Assignment 2
Hate Crimes

Population: 9,959,109
Hate Crimes Reported: 69

Illinois describes any crime where a person's "race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin" are motivating factors. Furthermore, any attack against places of worship, schools, educational facilities or community centers because of a person's perceived race, creed, sexual orientation, and national origin is also considered a hate crime. Illinois provides civil and criminal penalties for the commission of any kind of hate crime.

Statute 720 Ill. Comp. Laws Ann. 5/12-7.1 (2010):
—"A person commits hate crime when, by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors, he commits assault, battery, aggravated assault, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action or disorderly conduct"

Illinois also explicitly states that burning a cross is grounds for hate crime charges is the act is malicious and intended to intimidate a person or group of people. Vandalism is also grounds for possible hate crime charges if the act is perpetrated against a place of worship or community gathering center. Illinois has very specific definitions of what a hate crime is, unlike other states with broad definitions. 

In The News
An Illinois man was jumped by a large group of people and beat while having homophobic slurs yelled at him. 
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57421354-504083/gay-illinois-state-student-claims-attack-was-a-hate-crime/ 

Media
American History X is a fantastic movie about hate crimes and racism. Edward Norton plays a white supremacist and trys to save his brother from traveling down the same road that put him in jail. 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120586/ 

Screwdriver is a neo-nazi rock band that promotes hate and racism through their music. The band was paramount in the neo-nazi rock scene and helped form the "rock against communism movement."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR0YwWDKJnM