This story from OneNewsNow highlights how hate crimes laws like the one mentioned in Washington state base part of the punishment for crimes on whether the victim was a member of a protected class. The story gives an interesting example when it says:
The law creates different classes of people depending on who the crime is committed against. For example, one could rob their grandmother — which is obviously a crime — but would pay a higher penalty if they robbed someone who is transgendered.
The question becomes: Does this adhere to the guarantee of “equal protection under the law” in the Fourteenth Amendment? It’s debatable and doubtful.
