I recently got an e-mail from none other than the president of my favorite Big 10 university, explaining the ins and outs of the latest iteration of the hate crime, the "bias-related incident." No, I am not making this up. Here goes:
The University of Minnesota is committed to creating and maintaining a respectful culture and environment that values diversity. All members of our community should have the opportunity to pursue their education and work in a respectful, civil environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and violence.I deeply regret that some members of our community have been targets of hate and harassment because of their identity. Bias-related incidents include expressions of hostility against an individual or group because of the individual or group's actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, and/or veteran status. Expressions of hostility include, but are not limited to, language, words, signs, symbols, threats, or actions that could potentially cause alarm, anger, fear, or resentment in others, or would endanger the health, safety, and welfare of a member or members of the University community, even when such expressions are presented as a joke. Bias-related incidents are hurtful to those individuals and groups who are targeted, and negatively impact our entire University community.
Pay close attention to the second paragraph. If you do pretty much anything to anyone and they don't like it, you're guilty, no questions asked, no defense allowed (you have to hand it to them, they covered their bases well).
You don't even have to intend to do anything, guilt is dictated by the victims interpretation, regardless of your intentions.
And the best part, you can report incidents online. Check it out here.