Actually, the statutes acknowledge several different levels of murder, with corresponding levels of crime.
In addition, while murder is killing, killing is certainly not always murder.
Killing in self-defense is not murder.
Killing by someone non-competent is not murder.
But of course, in this case, the deceased was homosexual and socially empowerd by public school district employees. So of course it is maximum hate-crime first degree murder with aggravated circumstances against a saint.
Murder is still murder.
In addition, while murder is killing, killing is certainly not always murder.
I didn't say "killing is murder." If you look carefully at what I wrote, you'll find that I said "murder is murder." Note the presence of a period at the end of the sentence.
Killing in self-defense is not murder.
What was the killer defending himself against in this case?
Killing by someone non-competent is not murder.
What made this killer "non-competent?"
But of course, in this case, the deceased was homosexual and socially empowerd by public school district employees. So of course it is maximum hate-crime first degree murder with aggravated circumstances against a saint.
I take a back seat to no one in my rejection of any kind of special status among "victim groups" for any purpose, including that of classifying violent crimes against members of victim groups as somehow more heinous than if committed against a person not belonging to such a group.
That said, murder is murder.