Hate crimes laws are contrary to our British/American heritage, in that they criminalize a thought or belief, rather than an action.
Verbally espousing a thought or belief used to not be criminalized; now, in some places if you merely read excerpts from the Koran aloud (those calling for war), or from the bible condemning homosexuality, you can be prosecuted.
Citation, please--my Barbara Streisand meter is pegged?