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shed differently than other crimes. The actual crime should be punished, not the reasoning behind it. The idea of punishing crimes differently based on victims might make some people or groups feel that others are more protected or valued than they are. The concep ....

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.... be punished" (Staff editorial 1). Whether a person is killed for money or drugs or out of hate or prejudice, the fact still remains that he or she has been killed. With hate crime laws, the hate is being looked at, more so than the crime itself. Even though hate is a terrible thing to have in your heart, all Americans have the right to hate whatever or who ever they want (Hudson 1). Besides, if officials start punishing hate or unholy thoughts, they might as well make a new category of crime- thought crime. If this line of thinking were acted upon, then half of America would be behind bars. As stated above, the idea of punishing crimes differently ....