Do we have a hate crimes statute for attacking people for having 'noble' professions?
Many criminals think it acceptable to attack and even kill people for being prostitutes. Should we have a hate crimes statute for that?
Ethnicity, race, religion, handicap, social class, and gender identity might be cause to have protections against crimes directed at people for what they are. Genocide and genocide-like crimes are the definitive hate crimes, and the path to those crimes begins with smaller-scale hate crimes.
Hate crimes statutes are ordinarily leveled at crimes less egregious than murder. I can see how "Class of '20" or "Eddie + Susan 4ever" as graffiti are much less troublesome than a swastika or Nazi slogans daubed on 'Temple Beth Shalom'. "Off a Pig Today" on a cop's property? Interesting comparison.
Isn't the theory behind hate crimes legislation the idea that someone is terrorizing all members of a group through their actions? In that case I don't see why we wouldn't have those protections for prostitutes.
