To the Editor:
Of the several incidents noted in your article of May 2 "Past five years marred by hate crimes directed toward Asians," none were actually crimes.
Similar incidents involving the Beta Theta Pi and Alpha Chi Alpha fraternities, while perhaps in poor taste or simply misunderstood, in no manner broke any law.
Similarly, though David Berenson's "Bear Bones" comic strip offended several Asian students, Berenson is innocent of all criminal wrong-doing, at least so far as "Bear Bones" is concerned. Excepting plagiarism and libel, little fodder for legal action comes from comic strips.
Finally, Jeffey Link, who scrawled racial slurs on the door of two Asian students was convicted of disorderly conduct, which, although a crime, is not actually a "hate crime." The conduct charge was rendered for "derisive or offensive words which are likely to provoke a violent reaction on the part of an ordinary person," per New Hampshire state law. Had Link written "half-wit" instead of "chink" he might have been charged similarly.
Perhaps actual "hate crimes" were edited from the article prior to publication, but barring that, it seems the title ought to have been "Past Five Years: No Hate Crimes Directed at Asians."
