The Senate voted 60-39 for the Matthew Shepard Act, which adds sexual orientation in federal hate crimes. If you wonder what the 39 dissenters were thinking, all you need to know is Sen. Larry Craig (Bathroom Boy-ID) was one of them. Which is why the gay community outed him in the first place – that extreme ugly hypocrisy so much of Republican ideology is based upon.
Hate crime legislation is a simple matter for many Americans, the Slave States – along with the new Mountain Racist States – enjoy hating Queers and Negroes and Mexicans, and a law against it would inhibit their weekend nightlife. It is also a simple matter for the Ron Paul faction who don’t want any laws at all and what laws they do deem necessary should be decided only be the respective states. Slavery in Mississippi? If thats what they want, who the Hell is Wisconsin to say otherwise! States Rights’ Today! States Rights’ Tomorrow! States Rights’ Forever!!
On the other hand, many civilized Americans find it somewhat more complicated. They ask "What’s the point?" as acting on hate is already against the law. The point of this moves beyond protecting individuals within minorities to alleviate an intrusive fear minorities suffer as a whole, and more importantly,to codify such crimes to force police and courts in our uncivilized areas of our great nation to act instead of joining in.