Autistic Teen Found Guilty of ‘Hate Crime’ for Asking Police Officer’s Sex; Autism Group Condemns It

The reporting on this is inconsistent.
The differences in narrative hinge on whether the autistic 19 year old was genuinely confused, given that he wasn't actually asking anyone the question but just shouting it out.
Impossible to judge which account is accurate without knowing just how functional or socially handicapped he is.

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Likewise the source of his confusion.

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Perhaps he was being a cunt but given that he's autistic and given that I don't find his offense egregious I am leaning in favor of the autist.
 
I get your point but I do believe there should be some limits on language - nothing hateful or anything that incites violence/hatred. None of that here
As an American I value free speech and in general don't like the idea of hate speech laws or regulating speech.

But at the same time I understand different countries have different social contexts that might make such laws reasonable. My go to example is India where a whatsapp rumor can spiral into communal mob violence. In such a place there probably should be restriction on hateful speech especially if its dishonest and intended to incite hatred and violence even if only indirectly.
 
Being punched is different from being arrested for what you say. If I want to insult someone that's on me, it's not unusual not the police to say it's wrong. It's childish to police society to such an extent
I can understand the argument that words are just words but words are dangerous given the right social circumstances and a talented orator. One a much smaller, general scale tho does anyone deserve to have offensive and hurtful things said to them all the time? Once we let it slide for trans people what's to stop it from happening to people who are a certain skin colour or follow a certain religion?
 
"Nothing hateful" is a dangerous threshold as it's wide open to interpretation. Some people are quite a bit more sensitive than others after all.
Very true which makes these things difficult from a legal perspective I guess. I'm not the person with answers but I like to explore the issue
 
The defence probably thought this would be a slam dunk win and didn't do too much to prepare for what was obviously a "woke judge". On one side you have a mentally challenged kid and on the other you have an entitled brat playing police officer.



Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a developmental disorder characterised by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.[6] As a milder autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it differs from other ASDs by relatively normal language and intelligence.[11] Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and unusual use of language are common.

This kid wasn't trying to be offensive, it was just curiosity, he saw someone and didn't know if he was male or female. He was confused and just trying to make sense of what he saw.

Edit: what's going to happen if a 8 year old were to ask that officer the same question?

I've worked in IT for decades, I've known plenty of people with autism spectrum disorders. Like I said, without knowing specifically how functional or handicapped he is it's pretty meaningless. You certainly can't assume he's functionally equivalent to an 8 year old. You can't assume he wasn't trying to be offensive either, there's simply not enough information to draw that conclusion. Likewise your narrative about a "woke judge". You're just inventing things there to fit your perspective.
The articles aren't even consistently reporting what the charge was. The description sounds like a Public Order Offence, which isn't a hate crime. Although there's apparently been quite some inconsistency in how that's applied.
 
This logic is why the UK is fucked ...
Not really, there are so many real reason why the UK is fucked lol. The idea that people shouldn't be able to just say whatever they want with no consequence isn't one.

But I do wanna understand where you come from so in your opinion if someone was dropping the n bomb on a black man who's doing fuck all do you think that's ok?
 
What you said there makes zero sense. By that whip logic you are free to stab 300 people on the London bridge.
How did you get that lol. By consequences I meant legal consequences not some mad terrorist stabbing people. Should have made that much more clear
 
This is absurd. Should be no transgenders on Police Force. No way they would pass a real psychological. Too much stress and trauma in their back round.
 
Not really, there are so many real reason why the UK is fucked lol. The idea that people shouldn't be able to just say whatever they want with no consequence isn't one.

But I do wanna understand where you come from so in your opinion if someone was dropping the n bomb on a black man who's doing fuck all do you think that's ok?
Do you think calling someone a name should get them arrested? If not we’re done here .
 
No, it isn't funny.

But I can't help but laugh because I can't figure out how to react anymore to this woke cult that is plaguing western civilization.
Burn it with fire?
 
It's really not funny. The push that is forcing leftists to "transition" their children is enough to make us a dangerous waste of space society. It needs to stop, and if b****-a** Republican men don't say a peep out of it, they should be out of a job just like the weirdos that are pushing the insanity.
If you have kids, encourage them to get into a the mental health field. That is going to be a goldmine when this generation of kids grows up. All they are taught today is shame, confusion and mediocrity. Generally a horrible combo of all 3.
 
Thank the founding fathers for the first amendment here.

That’s some stupid shit there.
That won't save America for long. It's here and it's growing. Going in raw and hard on the 2nd, slipping the roofie to the 1st and occasionally finger banging the 4th and 5th.
 
Do you think calling someone a name should get them arrested? If not we’re done here .
N word is more than just a name tho isn't it? Context is key - if the words used shouldn't be said in civilised society should be stopped.

Btw you didn't answer my question? Surely you're not ok with someone being racially abused right?
 
N word is more than just a name tho isn't it? Context is key - if the words used shouldn't be said in civilised society should be stopped.

Btw you didn't answer my question? Surely you're not ok with someone being racially abused right?
Of course not, but in all reality a word only has as much power as you give it. Shouting any derogatory term is likely to get you assaulted or socially prosecuted and that’s about where it should end. Giving the government the power to arrest for a word is why we have stupid stories like the op.
 
This is absurd. Should be no transgenders on Police Force. No way they would pass a real psychological. Too much stress and trauma in their back round.
The diversity quota demands it safety be damned....
 
That won't save America for long. It's here and it's growing. Going in raw and hard on the 2nd, slipping the roofie to the 1st and occasionally finger banging the 4th and 5th.
That might be an understatement. Those things in the Constitution are all enemies of an overbearing authority using propaganda to consolidate power. Humans that lucked into power always want to consolidate authority, and with social media and so many screens this is their big chance. It's up to people to not let it happen.
 
Some things are inherently polarizing and religion and politics are both inherently polarizing. Doesn't mean we shouldn't ever talk about them but I think with the ubiquity of social media we've become way too politicized and polarized. Politics just feels like it infects everything and while in a sense that's good for me because I like talking about it I also think it has a corrosive effect on society.

In reality the politics that are more important to follow are local politics which tends to be really dry and boring which is why most people are generally uninformed about it, myself included. Instead we'd rather talk about orange man bad and Clinton CTs or in my case stuff like the Syrian civil war.
I think that unhealthy approach of spewing on the soap box of social media is because we feel the need to talk about it but don't have any real opportunities to do so, especially with the people we trust and respect. We should put more prestige on those who can talk about it and remain civil while still getting somewhere, it's a skill that takes work and it will atrophy without practice.

There was great diversity and growth in religion during the time of the Mongol Empire because they fostered debate and respected those who engaged. A polarizing topic, but one that benefited from discussion as opposed to radicalization and dogma.
 
Of course not, but in all reality a word only has as much power as you give it. Shouting any derogatory term is likely to get you assaulted or socially prosecuted and that’s about where it should end. Giving the government the power to arrest for a word is why we have stupid stories like the op.
If you're not ok with it then you agree that it should have consequences then no? The consequences themselves should stretch further than just social stigma because how else will people understand they can't use that language in civilised society? But I do agree that this shit is dumb af and context should be always taken into account.
 
I've worked in IT for decades, I've known plenty of people with autism spectrum disorders. Like I said, without knowing specifically how functional or handicapped he is it's pretty meaningless. You certainly can't assume he's functionally equivalent to an 8 year old. You can't assume he wasn't trying to be offensive either, there's simply not enough information to draw that conclusion. Likewise your narrative about a "woke judge". You're just inventing things there to fit your perspective.
The articles aren't even consistently reporting what the charge was. The description sounds like a Public Order Offence, which isn't a hate crime. Although there's apparently been quite some inconsistency in how that's applied.
You can argue how functional or handicapped he is, but the fact that he was diagnosed with Asperger's means he's not as functional and socially equipped as someone who isn't. Not to be a dick, but you're a IT specialist, not a authority on autism regardless of how many people on the spectrum you've encountered, unless you have worked directly with them for an extended period of time it's a moot point. I have 2 friends and a former employee with autistic children, it doesn't mean that I am automatically informed.

I'm not equating that particular kid with an 8 year old, that's a separate question, and a valid one.

Yes the judge being "woke" is my personal opinion based on the facts that we know. The guy ruled against someone with a diagnosed medical condition most probably because he was afraid of the backlash from SJW's.

Regardless of where this kid is on the spectrum, charging him with a hate crime or Public Order Offence and fining him is preposterous, in no way, shape or form is it an even playing field as far as this kid is concerned.
 
If you're not ok with it then you agree that it should have consequences then no? The consequences themselves should stretch further than just social stigma because how else will people understand they can't use that language in civilised society? But I do agree that this shit is dumb af and context should be always taken into account.
Are you reading what I’m saying or no. I do not believe the law or government has the authority to make arrests or become the speech police PERIOD. The system for punishment for being an asshole works just fine as it is. If you’re conflating context matters I will grant you this that if some asshole is shouting obscenities at a person and following them that’s harassment and that’s not the same thing.
 
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