Hate Crime in the Media

Book excerpt: A powerful, uncompromising explanation of how subtle sources of hatred contained throughout our media and culture have resulted in a tolerance for hate crimes in America. How is hate engendered, and what causes hatred to manifest as criminal behavior? Hate Crime in the Media: A History considers how in America, perceived threats on national, physical, and/or personal space have been created by mediated understandings of different peoples, and describes how these understandings have then played out in hate crimes based on ethnicity, religious identity, or sexual identity. The work reveals the origins of hate in American culture found in the media; political rhetoric; the entertainment industry, including national sports; and the legal system. Each chapter addresses historical questions of representation and documents the response to those considered intruders. The book also examines trends in hate crimes, the resulting changes in our legal code, and the specific victims of hate crimes.