Quote: Jim Jackson said: So what if Ann The Bitch gets shouted down? Her free speech hasn't been violated, since it was not The Government who shouted her down.
So, by that logic, Matthew Shepherd's rights weren't violated because it wasn't the government that killed him?
Technically that's true. I don't like the idea of classifying some crimes as "hate crimes" since all crimes are wrong. If someone is beaten then the same penalty should be in place regardless of motive. So his rights weren't violated, but a crime was committed against him.
