Recently, two white men were arrested in Santa Cruz, California for defacing a BLM mural painted on the street. Ages 19 and 20, the men were drunk at the time and peeled out in their car over the words "Black Lives Matter." The men will now be charged with hate crimes for leaving black tire marks on the pavement. In their defense, the two stated they were upset with the BLM movement and that they harbored no resentment against Black people as a whole. Their attorney, arguing against the imposition of 'hate crime charges'--which significantly elevate their punishment for the act, held the two had first amendment rights and that BLM was not a 'protected group' covered by hate crimes legislation. This argument failed, and the two vandals are now facing additional charges of a 'hate crime' nature. For details of the incident, click "HERE" or go to: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10318771/Two-California-men-slapped-hate-crime-charges-vandalizing-BLM-mural.html .
In light of this news, residents in favor of restoring the bust of Robert E. Lee to a place of honor in the county that bears his name wonder what will happen to the drunken white men who defaced the local landmark some years ago. It will be recalled that David Howes, age 46, was arrested on charges of "criminal mischief" on May 9, 2019. Rather than facing hate crime charges or even any vandalism charges at all, the man who was arrested and who admitted to the vandalism has had all charges against him dropped by the Lee County State's Attorney's office. He was released from all charges before even having to give up the names of his accomplices, paying any fine, or having to perform any community service. Nor has he been placed on probation for causing the damage to the monument. The men were apparently so proud of defacing the public memorial to Lee, that they even posed for pictures afterward.
A review of the two cases, along with the release of countless others who have defaced statues across the nation in the summer riots of 2020 leaves many Americans convinced we have today two separate systems of justice in the nation.
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