I wonder if Maine has laws against desecrating a flag on private property (I mean burning someone ELSE's flag). This happened several times in recent years here in Houston (at least one was a military flag).
It is vandalism, no doubt, and indefensible. But desecration is a hate crime charge.
How many antiChristians who defaced churches on 06/06/2006 were charged with "desecration" over simple vandalism?
I personally think hate crime laws are unconstitutional.Our system is set up to punish the commission of a crime NOT the reason for the crime.If we punish for a reason then we are being punished for our thoughts and that is dangerous.People who support hate crime laws are the true racists and bigots and would also support Hitler,Stalin and Saddam.