My problem with
hate crime legislation is that it sets a dangerous
precedent. As
Saige puts it, "a hate crime requires an action." I agree completely.
Should the law punish certain crimes more harshly because of the beliefs of the criminal? Is the victim more dead because the killer hated a particular minority group?
Is murder more wrong if a bigot does it? Is assault worse because the victim was black or celibate or Martian or poor? Can the law even determine the state of mind of the perpetrator before the crime occurred? Will it have to guess, and say that all violence against a group of people is worse than violence against a group of other people?
Murder is murder. Assault is assult. Rape is rape. Violence is violence. There are already laws against them. They're horrible enough already. Let the government continue to punish actions, not thoughts.