Writer opposes change to hate crime law

I am very concerned over any of the proposed legislation referred to as “hate crime legislation.”
The primary problem is that is criminalized thought. I believe a judge or jury evaluating an alleged “hate crime” would have to act on something with absolutely no tangible evidence. They would be asked to judge a person on what he or she was thinking when the crime was committed. Two people involved in exactly the same crime could be given vastly different punishments depending upon what the judge or jury assumed the unknowable thought process to be.
Passage of any kind of so-called “hate crime” legislation sets the stage for loss of freedom of religion and speech. Such laws could be used to intimidate people of faith.
Such a law would destroy the American principle of equality under the law. It would actively discriminate against heterosexuals by giving them less protection under the law than victims who may have different sexual preferences.
I have shared these thoughts with my congressmen and hopefully this great USA will never have to come to the place where people are judged on their thoughts.

John B. Allen
Abingdon, Va.