Why Do Gays Have Rights, but Not Toddlers?

The article headline may appear to be gay-bashing, but it's not. It's an attention getter to draw you into the topic of Federal Hate Crimes and who isn't protected. As a matter of fact, it's a Federal crime to assault gays, specific religious affiliations, Postal Workers, etc. All you have to do is punch, kick or assault in any manner one of these protected groups, and the crime becomes a Federal offense. Not only will the local law enforcement folks arrest you, but the FBI may be called in if prosecuted as a so-called hate crime.

The incident that incited me to write this was on Yahoo News this morning. Motorists passing through a road between Sacramento and Fresno in the town of Turlock reported a man kicking and stomping on a toddler. An elderly couple noticed the man's truck parked on the side of the road, facing the wrong way. They slowed down and then saw the atrocious assault being committed on the toddler. They called police at 10:13 PM. Other motorists stopped and tried to help but this scumbag was so intent on killing this little boy that he simply brushed the good Samaritans aside.

A police helicopter landed in an adjoining cow pasture with a Modesto police officer. The officer yelled for the man to stop beating the child. Ignoring the officer and continuing his beating of the child, the officer then shot the man to death. I would love to thank him for serving justice on the side of the road.

Why is it that we have laws to protect the group du jour, but children aren't protected? If I punch one of the groups I mentioned above in the face, I could be facing Federal time in the corrections system. But beat a toddler to death and I'll be on parole after a very short sentence. I see it time after time on the evening news and it makes my blood boil.

I recently had an email from a New York State Senator asking for my support. He, along with some other legislators, wants to enact a New York State law that would call for an automatic death penalty if some one kills a cop. I responded that I would support an automatic death sentence if any one kills any one else. I further questioned why there's no initiative to enact similar legislation for killing children?

My rational is this: a police officer goes into the job knowing that it's risky and there's a chance that he or she could be maimed or killed. They get intensive training on reacting to deadly criminals, how to protect themselves, and how to protect the public. They are also armed, sometimes heavily. So why limit this NY law just to police officers?

One of the most defenseless sectors of our population, besides the elderly, are small children. For Christ's sake, this beast was unrelenting in his kicking, punching and stomping this poor kid. The people who stopped to intervene also said he would pick the toddler up and throw him down on the road and continue the atrocious assault.

The child was beaten to a bloody pulp. So badly, in fact, that the coroner said he would need DNA from a blood sample to identify the child. I don't have to draw you a picture of what that precious tike looked like when the beating stopped.

For those of you who think the death penalty doesn't work, think about it - if you execute the beast then he can't get released from prison and commit the same crime again. Life sentence? Maybe. But it would have to be without parole, in solitary confinement and no amenities. The ACLU would have you believe this is "cruel and unusual punishment". I would tell the American Criminal Liberties Union that the horrific beating of a child is cruel and unusual punishment in our so-called civilized society.

I don't believe in so-called "hate crimes" and the protection of only certain elements of our society. I believe in protecting ALL of our citizens, particularly those who need it the most.

I hope that child is in heaven, and I hope the beast is in hell where he belongs.