[sinkspur]

Isn't that beside the point. The citizens of the state, operating through their legislature, decided that one was worse than the other. Shouldn't they be able to make that determination?

What was the basis for the decision?

If the same legislature decided to punish red heads who violate speed limits by doubling the fines, shouldn't they be able to do that as well?

[stop_fascism]

Yes. The constitution doesn't protect hair color. Does that mean it's a good law? No. But as justice Thomas said, the constitution doesn't protect us from silly laws.

On the other hand, the legislature couldn't double the fine on black people, because the constitution explicitly prohibits that.

[aristeides]

Doubling the speeding penalty for redheads is a bad analogy, as they commit the same crime speeding as others. A better analogy would be doubling the speeding fine for trucks, or SUV's. Surely that would be constitutional.