Editorial: "Hate Crime Law Necessary Evil"

At what point does the law become invasive to our own civil liberties and freedoms protected to us all as American citizens. No matter what group we identify with, be it racial, sexual orientation, ability, ethnic, socio-economic etc. people have the right to feel, speak and think what they want. It is protected under our constitution.

There is a point where trying to control this thought, that sometimes turns to hate, becomes coercive and controlling. Can we really by laws and authority force people to change their thinking? No, I think not. Although crimes based on hate of a targeted group are wrong, and immoral, we can punish the crime, but not necessarily the thinking. People are entitled to their own beliefs, and sadly these beliefs can manifest into horrible things as we have seen with various hate crimes.

This being said, I initially thought, why would there ever be a second thought about passing a hate crime law? But after reading this, I saw a different perspective on the issue. Since violence and harm in punishable under the law anyway in all 50 states, why do we need to segregate the acts to whom they are committed on. Doing this would only put more of a distance between the "us " and the "them". As we have learned, creating this gap adds fuel to the fire, only spawning more room for discrimination, hate, and difference. Isn't the point that we are all equal, and shouldn't that mean equal under the law?

I am not saying I have come to my own decision on my view of this issue, for it is an issue which has many underlying viewpoints where I can see where each side is coming from on passing the legislation or not. I do not know the answer to this. All I know is it becomes a very sticky situation to try to pinpoint the exact thought that fueled the hate crime, it is all very grey and hard to prove. As the article said, unfortunately, I'm afraid that I agree with this: "Trying to eradicate "hate" will become a witch-hunt." This hunt although for a very good cause, with pure intentions, could quickly turn into mass chaos and more retaliation. So what do we do? Ideas?