I see your point, V, but have been following a case out in New Jersey in which a guy (an illegal immigrant) raped, beat and choked to death a 9 year old boy with premeditation. There's not much difference between that and a "crime of hate" as it is defined by those who support such legislation. Curiously, "child haters" are not included in this legislation, which is of course driven by activism. In my book, premeditated hate murder is premeditated hate murder, no matter the orientation of the victim. The feds can always swoop in and decide what is right to prosecute, if the state refuses in some wrongheaded way, anyway.