I'm a libertarian. I firmly believe in the right of all citizens to equal treatment and equal protection under the law. I also believe in equal punishment for equal crimes, regardless of motive. The severity of punishment for a crime should be determined solely by the degree of harm caused (or potential harm in the case of something like drunk driving). The motive should be irrelevant. Because it criminalizes thoughts as well as actions, all so-called "hate crime" legislation is an outrage against justice. And the antidote to "hate speech" isn't to suppress it, but to counteract it with opposing speech.