There is no such thing as a hate crime

The House of Representatives has passed an "expanded hate crime" bill. Basically, it makes it an additional crime to attack someone because of their sexual orientation.

Hate crimes are bogus. It does not freakin' matter what the motivation is for harming another person. We already have laws against assault, communicating threats, murder, and the like. What difference does it make what someone was thinking when they performed the act? Why is a crime to think a certain way? Why do we need or even want "thought police"?

I don't care if someone attacks another person because of just plain maliciousness, because they don't like homos, or don't like a particular race. Does it make it any more heinous to beat someone into unconsciousness because the perpetrator hates a particular classification of people and thought horrible, evil thoughts while doing it? Does it make assault any worse of a crime? What difference does it make what someone thinks while beating the crap out of someone else? The end result is still the same.

If someone gets murdered because that person is stalked and shot by a bigot, Skinhead, Black Panther, or homophobe, does that make the victim any more dead because of what the murderer was thinking at the time of the killing? Murder is already illegal.

Furthermore, since when is it the federal government's business to regulate areas that are already covered by state laws?

Hate crimes are not necessary and are just a political "feel good" act of little or no substance meant to garner votes and provide the appearance of doing "good deeds".