Hate crime enhancements create thought crimes. I understand what purpose they are trying to serve, but my personal philosophy on the law is that it should always remain as subjective as possible. If you strike someone in the face you have committed the crime of striking someone in the face. If you strike someone in the face and the prosecutor can convince a group of 6-12 partially engaged citizens that you were thinking hateful thoughts about that person's race when you hit him, then the crime is worse? That doesn't make sense to me, and runs the risk of destabilizing the entire system. The most important asset the law has going for it is that it is accepted by all as inherently fair. When that is lost, the whole thing comes crashing down.