So it is with hate crimes laws. Murder is murder.
Matt and Robbie are wrong. Chris is right. "Murder is murder" is not a legal statement - Murder-1 is different than Murder-2, etc. Hate crimes have a symbolic nature to them. Hate speech is a different matter, but can also verge on more than 'thought crime' ("incitement", etc.). [In some jurisdictions, it IS possible to prosecute someone for 'thought crime', you know. (! *blink* I know you'll be incredulous, but it's true.)]
As for the rest, "hate crimes" is an attachment to an existing Federal statute (and State law, in some places, too). The point is that it isn't the "ERA" for gay people.
Is it kinda 'inequality'? Yes. Come back to me when the equality is around and we'll take it off the books, yeah?
