California is full of haters, according to Governor Gavin Newsom. In a new push to combat the supposed rise in “hate crimes” in California — which apparently rose by almost 33% from 2020 to 2021 — the Golden State has enacted a new hotline called “CA vs. Hate.”

Quoth Governor Newsom: “Here in California, we are sending an unequivocal message that hate will not be tolerated. We stand firm for a California for All and it is important that we hold perpetrators accountable for their actions and provide resources for those individuals victimized by hate crimes. Now, Californians have another tool to ensure that not only justice is served, but that individuals have access to additional resources to help deal with the lingering wounds that remain after such a horrendous crime occurs.”

How does a deep-blue state like California become such a hotbed of hate? Well, it depends on the definition of “hate.” According to the CA vs. Hate website:

A hostile expression or action committed, in whole or in part, because of a person’s actual or perceived identity(ies) or characteristic(s), including race, color, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender, including gender identity, and/or because that person is a part of a protected group.

There are two main kinds of hate incidents — (1) acts of hate that are not crimes but violate civil rights laws, and (2) acts of hate that may not violate the law. Both types cause significant harm to communities.

Some examples of hate incidents can include: derogatory name calling, bullying, hate mail, and refusing service.

Under California law, a hate crime is a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of the victim: disability, gender, gender identity, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation; or because of the person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

While this hotline appears to be another avenue for every disgruntled or mildly offended individual to call in and complain, the deeper ramifications don’t take much imagination. This hotline isn’t law enforcement, yet it will connect “victims” and “witnesses” to the police if needed. Its biggest advertisement is connecting people to helpers who speak the appropriate language (15 different ones are currently on offer).

Suffice it to say, this hotline seems like it has the potential to be yet another mechanism by which leftists can bully individuals they don’t like. Do the subjects of complaints go on a blacklist? What exactly does this hotline entail?

As Not the Bee characterizes it, “California has taken the next step of social control by turning its citizens against each other in fear of state reprisal.” That may be an overstatement, but with California’s other infringements on parental and other rights, it’s not hard to imagine this is the logical conclusion of such a hotline.

Another problem, as with all such vague and malleable definitions of “hate crime,” is that actual hate crimes are going to be overlooked. For example, what precisely did UC Berkeley do about the anti-Jew hate crimes perpetrated on its campus earlier this week, wherein one female student was chocked, a male student was spit upon, and the building where a private talk was occurring was damaged? Not much.

In the meantime, Governor Newsom is facing yet another recall vote. Many Californians feel that their governor is ignoring them and no longer represents their interests. Kinda makes you wonder how many of these recall advocates will end up being reported on the CA vs. Hate hotline.