We've been publishing a series of articles on the general topic of Hate Crimes and Assaults here on the Loper Website. As a part of this series, we are interviewing people with something to share - insight, opinion, even more questions - and will publish these interviews from time to time. The framework for the interviews is a questionnaire, but we will not slavishly force each interview to follow a prescribed format - ideas flow too freely for that.

Dave Sagarin interview with Herman Key

Should there be Hate Crime laws?

Yes - I hope these laws send a message to society - where there are actions against people because of race, disability and so forth. That message has some value.

Do you know of any instance of a hate crime or bias related incident against someone because of a disability?

I'm aware of discrimination, but I'm not aware of any instances of a hate crime.

Comments on recent series of assaults in Charlottesville

From what I've heard and read, it seemed to be more of a class thing - there is [some] resentment toward UVa students by local residents. [These crimes have] open[ed] up underlying tensions - not to blame the victims, you understand, [but in some ways] Uva is like another gated community. If we could get more economic equality, some of the racial problems would go away - you don't worry about racism if you have more economic security.

I also think there's a group mentality aspect to it. When you were young you did things [especially in a group] you would never do . another aspect to it is that we've got a society where violence is glamorized. It's important to be cool - how cool is it if three or four people beat somebody up?

I think one of the most troubling things is the way young men disrespect women. Somebody has to tell the young men this is not the way - you've got mothers and sisters. And you hear these [demeaning] words used casually. And in [popular] music.

Another thing [I've observed] is that profanity is now used in groups with older people around where some years ago you wouldn't do that.
Trash talk is now acceptable - it's a 'me first' society - [kids today] are quick to measure people by clothes, jewelry, ... it's not really about what kind of person they are.

Would the recent assaults in Charlottesville have been handled differently if the assailants had been white and the victims black?

If those had been white kids ... the reality is, it would have been different. And the discussion would also have been different [depending on] if they were white kids from St. Anne's or white kids from Belmont. That's the reality.

Do you have an opinion about the concept of Restorative Justice?

The Criminal Justice system now is heavy on punishment - there was a time when [it seemed] rehabilitation was more important. I think that a lot of offenders see the victims as less than a human being. So if this will help - maybe they could start to see that there are things beyond what they knew before.

We all do make mistakes. And, for instance, with the drug laws, you can't even discuss them, so you can't get good data.[So I think] the present [system of] mandatory sentences - without a history of violence - don't necessarily fit the crime.

It would be good to try some new approaches. We gain more, as a community, when we lift up our weakest. (May 13, 2002)

Herman Key is Assistant Director of the Charlottesville Independence Resource Center, one of 20 in Virginia, that advocates for people with disabilities and provides services for the disabled.