On CBS This Morning Saturday, as the show covered proposed new laws to protect police officers from hate crimes, correspondent Tony Dokoupil and anchors Alex Wagner and Anthony Mason all oddly seemed to worry about whether it was appropriate to call it a "hate crime" to attack a police officer. During the report, Dokoupil even asked if the term "hate crime" would be "cheapened" if police offers came under hate crime protection.
And in a short discussion after the pre-recorded piece concluded, after Wagner mused, "It really calls into question the definition of 'hate crime' and bigotry," Dokoupil injected: "It can be a hateful act, and yet not a hate crime."
At about 8:30 a.m. ET, co-anchor Wagner began to introduce the segment by referring to a "debate" about the issue:
But we begin this half hour with the debate over classifying violence committed against police officers as hate crimes. Texas is poised to join Louisiana and Kentucky as the third state to pass a so-called "blue lives matter" law. More than a dozen other states have similar legislation pending.
Co-anchor Mason added: "The laws call for harsher punishment for those convicted of killing or assaulting an officer, but critics question whether those laws are effective at preventing violence at all."
As Dokoupil introduced the piece, he immediately brought up the report's theme of whether attacking the police should be considered a "hate crime" as he began:
The latest numbers show violence against police officers is indeed on the rise. And that's one reason why many people back these proposals. But others say hate crime laws simply aren't meant to cover men and women in blue.
The CBS correspondent devoted the first part of the report to the widow of a police officer who was murdered in an ambush, as he recalled that she supports the new hate crimes law proposals.
Dokoupil then moved to Texas Republican State Rep. Jason Villalva, who is himself pushing the proposed law. After a clip of the Texas Republican advocating the legislation, the CBS reporter soon pressed him: "There are people who say it cheapens the category, that hate crimes are supposed to stop bigotry."
Villalva responded:
Well, I think you can call the attacks that we've seen against our police officers clearly within the category of bigotry. When you attack a police officer merely because they are doing their job, we must respond in the same way that we would protect those who are of a different color.
Dokoupil then switched to the ACLU's Jeffery Robinson for a view from the left:
DOKOUPIL: Jeffery Robinson is a human rights attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. He argues that crimes against police are already well-prosecuted.
JEFFERY ROBINSON, ACLU: In fact, we have supported -- as we should -- our law enforcement officers. So to suggest that police officers should somehow be protected by a hate crime is to misunderstand what a hate crime is.
The CBS correspondent was not seen challenging the ACLU attorney like he did State Rep. Villalva, as Dokoupil was seen responding: "Even if every state in America protected police officers as a group with hate crime laws, you don't think there'd be any drop in killings against police?"
There was then a soundbite of Robinson arguing that the police need to reform themselves:
There'd be no drop in killings of police whatsoever. What that response does is to ignore the reality. You want to talk about training, culture and accountability, and changing those things in policing. That's gonna be hard. That's gonna take effort. And people don't like to talk about that, but that's where we are.
The CBS correspondent briefly returned to Smith's support for the law before concluding by again questioning whether it would work:
And Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign the new law -- sign the new bill into law, but, while many states move closer to doing the same, you know, critics say the only way to make police truly safer is to improve relations with the community.
Wagner, Mason and Dokoupil then commented amongst themselves over whether anti-police crimes should be considered "hate crimes":
WAGNER: It really calls into question the definition of "hate crime" --
MASON: Hate crime, yeah.
WAGNER: -- and bigotry in this --
DOKOUPIL: It can be a hateful act, and yet not a hate crime.
WAGNER: Yeah.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the May 27 CBS This Morning Saturday:
8:30 a.m. ET
ALEX WAGNER: But we begin this half hour with the debate over classifying violence committed against police officers as hate crimes. Texas is poised to join Louisiana and Kentucky as the third state to pass a so-called "blue lives matter" law. More than a dozen other states have similar legislation pending.ANTHONY MASON: The laws call for harsher punishment for those convicted of killing or assaulting an officer, but critics question whether those laws are effective at preventing violence at all. Tony Dokoupil traveled to Texas to learn more. Tony, good morning.
TONY DOKOUPIL: Good morning. The latest numbers show violence against police officers is indeed on the rise. And that's one reason why many people back these proposals. But others say hate crime laws simply aren't meant to cover men and women in blue. When a sniper opened fire in Dallas last July, Heidi Smith's husband Michael was one of five officers killed.
HEIDI SMITH, WIDOW OF SLAIN POLICE OFFICER: Just because he wore the uniform. He still came home to us every night.
DOKOUPIL: Now, Smith is afraid more police will be targeted.
SMITH: I was in downtown Dallas going to an event with my children, I was scared the whole time at night to be in a patrol car.
DOKOUPIL: What were you worried about?
SMITH: Someone walking up and shooting us.
DOKOUPIL: A hate crime.
SMITH: Yes.
DOKOUPIL: 135 officers were killed on duty in 2016, the highest total in five years. Of those, 21 officers were ambushed, the highest total in more than two decades.
STATE REP. JASON VILLALBA (R-TX): This is the building. This is El Centro, the college.
DOKOUPIL: That's why Texas State Rep. Jason Villalba introduced a bill to give the blue uniform itself protection.
STATE REP. JASON VILLALBA (R-TX): Now, we're seeing attacks on police officers based solely on one thing -- their status as police officers. And I think that's what's important about this legislation.
DOKOUPIL: There are people who say it cheapens the category, that hate crimes are supposed to stop bigotry.
VILLALBA: Well, I think you can call the attacks that we've seen against our police officers clearly within the category of bigotry. When you attack a police officer merely because they are doing their job, we must respond in the same way that we would protect those who are of a different color.
DOKOUPIL: Jeffery Robinson is a human rights attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. He argues that crimes against police are already well-prosecuted.
JEFFERY ROBINSON, ACLU: In fact, we have supported -- as we should -- our law enforcement officers. So to suggest that police officers should somehow be protected by a hate crime is to misunderstand what a hate crime is.
DOKOUPIL: Even if every state in America protected police officers as a group with hate crime laws, you don't think there'd be any drop in killings against police?
ROBINSON: There'd be no drop in killings of police whatsoever. What that response does is to ignore the reality. You want to talk about training, culture and accountability, and changing those things in policing. That's gonna be hard. That's gonna take effort. And people don't like to talk about that, but that's where we are.
DOKOUPIL: Heidi Smith believes the legislation will give police the protection they need to do their job.
DOKOUPIL: Would it be a validation of Mike's life to have this bill following his death?
SMITH: Absolutely, yes. And the other four officers as well.
DOKOUPIL: And Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign the new law -- sign the new bill into law, but, while many states move closer to doing the same, you know, critics say the only way to make police truly safer is to improve relations with the community.
WAGNER: It really calls into question the definition of "hate crime" --
MASON: Hate crime, yeah.
WAGNER: -- and bigotry in this --
DOKOUPIL: It can be a hateful act, and yet not a hate crime.
WAGNER: Yeah.
MASON: Tony Dokoupil, thanks very much.
