Why Do Politicians Want These Hate Crime Laws?
There is no clamour from Irish people for a Hate Crime laws. As highlighted by Gript, the Bill recently discussed in the Seanad is a catastrophic Orwellian mess, yet it is supported by every mainstream party. The only dissenting voice in the Seanad debate was the independent Sharon Keogan. Few laws can expect this kind of cross-party support. What is the source of this consensus?
It’s likely that many Senators genuinely believe that there is an epidemic of hate crimes that we need to urgently address through legislation. In deciding what issues to address, Senators are sealed in an NGO propaganda bubble. They are surrounded by lavishly funded pressure groups who are ideologically and financially motivated to want laws that will empower them. There is no countervailing force that would highlighted the dangers of such laws.
We’re conditioned to assume that politicians we don’t like act in bad faith with low motives but if every piece of information you hear pushes you in a single direction then your legislative efforts will reflect that. They may genuinely think this is what their constituents want.
There is a social standing aspect to this, politicians to want to look good in the papers and on Twitter by proposing laws that will get you celebrated and not dragged. These laws offer the chance to be thought of as a pillar of the community amongst people with a lot of social capital (the young, the educated, the wealthy, the activist). Irish people have found approval internationally, and identity, as the country that is changing from traditional to progressive at the speed of light. To look good not just on Irish Twitter (tm) but to be thought well of and maybe even written about in the pages of the Guardian or the New York Times — that’s the dream of dreams for an Irish politician.
The darker side of this point is that politicians crave a quiet life as much as anyone else. You can’t be seen to not do “the right thing” if everyone else is doing it. Creating massively overreaching laws and empowering NGOs as a way of certain noisy, crazy groups and their enablers quiet and keeping them off your back for a period of time. (This doesn’t actually work, but I understand.)
Politicians sees the way the cultural wind is blowing culturally and want to go with it rather than against. If the sought-after constituency of young voters want this, if the EU does, and if it smooths the path for “inevitable, necessary and desirable” mass migration and accelerated demographic change — what good can come from opposing it? Better to be known as the person who pushed hate crime laws and secure a future ministry, Oireachtas committee, a spot on Prime Time, potentially profitable NGO work down the line.
The Hate Crime Bill attracts this support because it has powerful and well-funded groups pushing for it; because politicians feel it makes them look good and Ireland look good; and because its more profitable in a variety of senses; because it’s easier for them; and because it’s safer. That’s leadership, I guess.
