Hate Crimes...

Laws against hate crimes are unconstitutional. Plain and simple they violate the 1st amendment to free speech. The right of free speech has oft been interpreted as the right to free thought. When a crime is deemed a "hate crime" and the government adds an extra layer of punishment to a crime (take robbery, arson, etc.), they essentially are punishing that person's thoughts. I have the right to hate gays, christians, jews, whites (I really don't, just making a point), but I don't have the right to burn their houses down. So, if I do burn their houses down, shouldn't it remain my actions that are punished, not my thoughts? Further, aren't hate crime laws unfair to the "average" victim of a crime? For example, if I were to be mugged and on the other side of town my friend Jose was mugged because he's Mexican (and thus a hate crime law is invoked), I would be pretty upset if the guy that mugged me got less time because he only wanted my wallet. With this example in mind, it is always the illegal ACTION that should be punished, not the motivation behind it.