I think "hate crimes" are misnamed, and that is the source of the problem. Were they called "bigoted crimes," perhaps it would make more sense.

In the larger sense (like Stalin or Milosevic), they are simply called "war crimes." But it's the same thing.

Matt- I'm the last one to site semantics being the right-brainer that i am but it comes down to the "language." Most people understand what a "Hate crime" is and that involves someone who is a bigot and no one is using the term "biogot crime." According to the Random house dictionary- a bigot is "a person who is intolerant of any creed, belief or race that is not his or her own." Does that make sense?

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I would think that most people understand this. But why then, do I hear things like, "All murders are hate crimes." This clearly isn't so.