Equal justice for all is out the window...

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by August

Semantics. The main crime is the murder or the mugging etc. That's what the criminal should be tried for. Hate crime legislation is just a feel good sideshow that has enormous potential for abuse.

A feel good sideshow? Hate crimes go further than an attack on a single victim. They're an attack on a community, be it racial or religious, or what have you and do damage to the overall community as a whole. Look at Jasper, TX.

Hate crimes are by definition a worse form of crime than the underlying actus reus and should be treated as such.