“The Supreme Court has agreed to rule whether a person who commits a hate crime can be sentenced more severely than a person who commits the same crime but with different motives. While hate crimes are repugnant given the thoughts that fuel them, hate-crime legislation itself is offensive. A person should not be punished for what is in his mind or for how he feels about the skin color or sexual orientation of his victim. His punishment should instead be based on the actual crime he has committed against another person. Moreover, shouldn’t everyone receive the same protection of law regardless of his particular race, color, or creed?”
CAPSULE COMMENTARY: “Hate Crimes”
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