Porter: Q: When is a hate crime not a hate crime? A: When it happens in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) today issued the following statement in the wake of the vandalism of the Islamic Society of North America’s headquarters in Plainfield:

“I suppose one should appreciate the irony of the fact that we hear reports of vandalism at a place where religious services are conducted at the same time the Indiana General Assembly chooses ONCE AGAIN to do nothing to pass a hate crime bill for our state.

“But there is nothing but sadness at today’s news. The fact of the matter is that a hate crime isn’t considered a hate crime when it takes place in Indiana.

“This particular building was singled out for the most despicable kind of hatred, simply because a bunch of bigots looked at a place of worship and decided that it was no different than a haven for terrorism…the kind of terrorism that has been roundly denounced by the people who practice their faith in that very building.

“This was no isolated incident either. In recent times, we have seen a Jewish cemetery vandalized in Fort Wayne, and an Asian exchange student attacked and injured by a white supremacist in Brown County.

“These are hate crimes. These are the kinds of hate crimes that many of us have tried year after year after year to stop in Indiana.

“Yet we are told…again…that we do not need hate crime legislation in Indiana. We are told that such laws have no point. They mean nothing.

“They mean one thing…that Indiana will not stand for the kind of bigotry and intolerance that sends a message our state doesn’t care about protecting people, simply because they are perceived to be ‘different.’

“Shame on us for allowing this to stand. Perhaps there is still time to do something to revive hate crime legislation before this session ends, but I am not optimistic. There are too many in control who simply don’t care, and what happened in Plainfield this past weekend is the unfortunate result.”