Hate Crimes Legislation Meets Body Armor and Other Defense Spending

Yesterday, the Senate passed a "measure" granting an expansion of the federal "hate crimes" statute to include violence against gays. (This provision was approved by the House earlier this year.) The measure is attached to a bill granting additional spending for the war effort, in a bid to ensure that the President will not act on his threat to veto expanding the hate crime statute.

Best parts of the debate, courtesy of the L.A. Times:
"Opponents said the bill would needlessly create special classes of victims. 'All crimes of violence are crimes of hate,' Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said...Some religious groups have assailed the measure as 'thought crimes' legislation, warning it could lead to the prosecution of pastors delivering sermons against homosexuality."