Jeff Jacoby writes on the broadening of the hate-crimes legislation passed in the House: “why should “hate crimes” motivated by racial, religious, or sexual bigotry be punished more severely than equally hateful crimes motivated by contempt for the homeless? If a bunch of hoodlums murder a man by setting him on fire in his wheelchair, what moral difference does it make whether they despised him for being disabled (covered by the new bill) or for being a street person (not covered)? Is it worse to douse a man with gasoline and strike a match while shouting, “We hate cripples!” than to do the exact same thing while shouting “We hate the homeless” — or “We hate skinheads” or “We hate Communists”?” (Boston Globe)