Having a strong hate crime law that is actively prosecuted may not dissuade a hardened hatemonger, but it may give the less committed participants in a bias crime enough reason to convince his buddies that the assault on a vulnerable victim is simply not worth the risk. Whether in Wyoming or at the federal level, there is every reason to support legislation. Most hate crimes are not murders they are intimidation and threats that often escalate into much worse unless they are stopped in their tracks. And that is precisely the point of hate crime legislation it is designed to send a zero-tolerance message to both perpetrators and victims. To the perpetrators, such laws say loud and clear that Americans reject hate in all of its forms and that they will no longer tolerate intolerance.
Laws play many roles in our society.
Legislation allows us to prosecute those who commit acts against society, but legislation also reflects the values that the members of a society hold. Similarly, hate crime legislation reflects our collective belief that we Americans are stronger when all or our people have an equal opportunity to participate in democracy. Perhaps for the first time in history, Americans have taken an initiative in reducing bigotry and prejudice, not because we are in the midst of a crisis, but simply because it is the right thing to do, because it will protect vulnerable people from harm. It would be a shame to abandon this basic American principle. Another Key motivation for retaining hate crimes laws is that without hate crime legislation there would be no way to determine the level of intergroup conflict occurring within our communities.