text: what's a hate crime? this term, "hate crime," refers to a violent crime inspired by racially-charged hatred.  as a result, offenders can be given heavier sentences for the racial aspect of the said crime.  here's my question:  what kind of violent crime isn't "hateful"?  since when did someone commit a violent act out of love?  is this just a tactic used by minority groups to serve their own interests?  like it or not, people have the right to be racist, and until they commit a crime as a result of that racism, they can not be charged as criminals.  therefore, racial motivation should play no role in the sentencing of the convict as racism alone is not illegal, but rather, only the violent acts that may follow are such.  you know where i stand at this point, now i want to hear what you think about these "hate crimes." i believe that when a crime is committed because of a racial difference, then of course the offenders hatred should be brought to light. and yes, violent crimes can be committed out of "love". i'm sure you've heard about stalking. in some cases stalkers have been known to kill or attempt to kill their prey.they do it because they can't have that person, so they kill them  or attempt to kill them so no one else can have them. i used to live in the mid-south, near a klan ridden town. it was shameful watching the havoc they wreaked on innocent people.hate crimes have been around since the germans tortured the jews, it's nothing new. if you hate someone, hate them for what they have done, not for their color or nationality.