Contrary to the Republicans in Congress—who are opposing legislation expanding federal hate-crimes laws to cover gays—this is not a “thought crime” bill.
It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about gays, so long as they don’t act on it.
If they’re punished for attacking gays out of hate, that’s not about “thought crimes,” it’s about motives. You know, the same thing that already differentiates first degree murder (committed with rational thought and in cold blood), second-degree murder (fueled by anger), third degree murder (accident).
So anyone who thinks that adding penalties for gay bashing is a “though crime” should support eliminating any distinctions for the three degrees of murder. Yet amazingly, they don’t.

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