Anyone who disagrees with the idea that hate crime laws are tantamount to government legislation of individual thought should ponder this: in just about every state, you will face a stiffer penalty for murder if that murder occurred while you were also committing another crime (say, armed robbery). Hate crime legislation essentially places certain unpopular THOUGHTS in the same category with violent crimes…
I was sort of horrified to read recently that California has a law specifically banning the burning of a cross on someone else’s property “for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant.” Why, pray tell, would it be legal to burn ANYTHING on ANYONE else’s property without their permission, regardless of motive? Doing so is just about always a threat, both to public safety and to the neighbor in question, and it’s most definitely not free speech…