JACKSON, Mich. — MLive.com has reported that the Jackson City Council has unanimously passed resolution to prosecute hate crimes and pass non-discrimination laws on Tuesday night.
From MLive.com:
The “Oneness of Human Kind” resolution comes as a response to the events in Charlottesville, Virginia. The resolution states the city will “pursue” additional non-discrimination policies in the city and “seek maximum penalties” against anyone who commits a hate crime.
Go to page 327 of the agenda packet to read the full resolution. Only minor changes were made to the phrasing during Tuesday’s meeting.
Going beyond the lip service of simply stating the city is against hate crimes, the resolution has residents asking if the council has the powers to act on the promises made.
“I understand that most resolutions don’t have much teeth to them,” resident John Wilson said during Tuesday’s meeting. “If this resolution were to pass, who enforces this resolution if it’s determined a hate crime has occurred?”
Criminal sentences are handled by the Jackson County Prosecutor, not the City Council.
The website reported that the city does have some influence with non-discrimination ordinances that can issues fines.
