If someone beat your mother to paralysis with a pipe because she cut them off in traffic. and someone beat your buddy up because he was gay. you actually think the guy who beat your buddy up because he was gay should get a stiffer sentence based soely on his reasons?
I think the viciousness of the attack should be the only concern. there are civil remedies for the harassment aspect of any crime.
That's an unfair comparison, as I'm supposed to get all confused here by the inclusion of my mother...you're looking for an emotional response irrelevant to the discourse. Sadly, I can't stand the bitch...the reasons for which actually dovetail nicely with this discussion.
The thing is, along with the physical attack comes the psychological aspect of it all. No one should have to feel that they should be subjected to such a targeted attack. If the guy beats my mom over a traffic incident, the reasons are outside herself. She's going to be traumatized, sure...but she won't feel the internal void that a rape victim or a victim of a racial/sexual bashing will. The damage is over and above the physicality of it all.
