Point taken. Every time some scum rips off an old ladies purse they should also be charged with a hate crime. No joke, you have a valid point!
"Every time some scum rips off an old ladies purse they should also be charged with a hate crime."
Technically, they could be, as long as they robbed her because of her gender.
I think these sorts of laws are bad laws because they penalize motive rather than behavior, and it's often impossible to determine motive.
That said, they don't protect gay people any more than straight people. Everyone has a sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. If you're attacked because of it, these laws apply to you.