Does hate crime = thought crime?

[dvslil1]

I think hate crime legislation has an important role in some circumstances and that motives are indeed important in sentencing considerations.
It all comes down to the validity of motive and how much weight that should carry.
It's one thing to be beaten up because somebody wanted your money and another thing if they picked you cos you were percieved as being of an orientation that was considered somehow morally repugnant or what have you to the person committing the crime.
I think hate needs to be examined as a secondary response to preconcieved judgements on the part of the offender in order to have any validity for application.

 

[MrWonka]

Is hate crime a form of thought crime?

The difference between first degree murder and second degree murder is intent. It's a more sever crime because of the killer's thoughts and motivations. You say thought crime as if that trivializes the crime, but when trying to determine the severity of a crime the motivations for that crime must be considered.

If a crime is a crime of passion because a specific individual wronged you, that is very different than a serial killer who chooses their victims at random based upon a profile. If there's a killer going around killing random blonde women, then all blonde women have to fear for their lives, but if a man kills his wife because he cheated on him that doesn't send the same fearful message to other wives who are not married to that guy, and who are not cheating on their husbands.

By the same token, if you have a group of racists that are going around lynching black people, then all black people have to be afraid for their lives. But if a black gang member shoots another black gang member for straying on to their turf, then only people that choose to join a gang have to be afraid, and even then it's only if they stray onto the wrong turf.