Instances in which law enforcement authorities omit information in reports that would identify attacks as being based on sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation distort understanding of the frequency of such hate crimes. Promoting the idea that gay people are a threat to society is an industry and a means of motivating people to contribute money to so-called religious organizations and political campaigns. Hate crimes are very often intended to intimidate groups of people. The victims are not those who are attacked only, but are those who, by reason of their belonging to the same group as the victim, live in fear. A beating is a beating.
Murder is murder.
Victims and friends and families of victims of any violent crime suffer as much as victims of hate crimes. Response - Clearly our legal system has long recognized significant difference in violent crimes that are premeditated or that are carried out in ways that aggravate suffering. The perpetrator who, in the act of committing car theft, encounters the owner of the car and injures or kills the owner, is legally seen as having committed a different crime than that of one who plans to injure or kill. The robber of a bank or convenience store is not usually motivated by hate for bank or store employees, but rather is motivated by desire for the money the robber expects the employee to hand over. If the robber injures or kills an employee, it is more often than not with the purpose of completing the crime or to avoid being apprehended.