[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Yes, now you're just being silly. But, of course, that's your right.

A person who rapes a Hispanic woman should not be punished more severely than if they rape a white women, and vice versa. I'm sorry that you place such a higher value on certain classes of adults than others.

Should we bar white women from certain jobs as well - blacks and Asians only need apply? What races of adults are more special to you than others? This should be interesting.

[Arthalion]

Who brought race into this? I disagree with hate crimes laws because they draw an ARTIFICIAL distinction between victims based on race, which should be legally irrelevant. What we're talking about here are increased punishments for those who take advantage of the weak and otherwise helpless. Children. Elderly. The disabled. People who are incapable of defending themselves, and in many cases who may not even understand that they're being victimized. It takes a sick mind to become a criminal in the first place, but those who turn their crime against societies helpless are sicker than most. They deserve increased punishment.

There's a difference between recognizing genuine differences within the population, and creating artificial ones for political expediency.