'Hate crimes' law? As opposed to what?

Georgia obviously needs a hate crimes law. How else are we to distinguish such crimes from those motivated by love and affection?

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All sarcasm aside, it's downright smarmy for liberal groups to now trip over each other to exploit the horrific case of a black female Army reservist beaten up by a white man in Morrow, Ga.

They've jumped on the assault to reopen the stale claim that Georgia needs a law toughening penalties for crimes motivated by race, religion or other factors.

Georgia had such a law, but it was struck down five years ago as too vague. That state Supreme Court decision should have been the last word on this nonsense.

Instead, groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP contend the woman's assault proves such a law is needed.

Why? Was the attacker let go by racist cops? No. He went to jail and awaits prosecution. There's no miscarriage of justice to rally behind; he hasn't even met justice yet.

The fact is that Georgia already has some of the toughest laws and harshest punishments in the nation, and each judge has the ability to take into account the offenders' actions and attitudes when determining punishment.

The last thing we need is an Orwellian law advancing the notion that while all crimes are equal, some are more equal than others.