Jeffrey C. Isaac

Hate-crimes laws are a necessary response to violence against minorities, Jeffrey C. Isaac claims in the following viewpoint. He cites a shooting spree by Benjamin Smith, a man who belonged to a neo-Nazi organization, as an example of the violence that needs to be targeted. According to Isaac, hate crimes are a serious problem that should not be considered an occasional aberration. Isaac is a professor of political science at Indiana University in Bloomington and the director of the Center for the Study of Democracy and Public Life at the university.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, what incident led to the formation of Bloomington United?
2. What does Andrew Sullivan conclude about hate crimes, as stated by Isaac?
3. In Isaac’s opinion, what is the...