Last week, Cisco Sanchez, coordinator for the Human Rights Campaign in Iowa, spoke for two hours in the Memorial Union on federal legislation covering hate crimes. Sanchez told stories of murders and assaults committed based on sexual orientation. He also told the crowd that the number of hate crimes are steadily rising year after year.

Hate crimes are a problem in the United States. But what exactly is a hate crime? According to the American Psychological Association, hate crimes are “violent acts against people, property or organizations because of the group to which they belong or identify with.”

These heinous crimes are a part of American history – albeit a part Americans want to forget. In the past we had lynchings and cross burnings. Now we have vandalism, assaults and murder. The tragic and horrific murder of Matthew Shepard is just a widely-known and highly-publicized example of what is occurring every day in the United States.

And the United States needs broader and more stringent federal hate crime legislation. A hate crime is not only a murder or a vicious assault on someone. Hate crimes can be verbal assaults, crimes against property, robbery, vandalism, theft or setting fire to churches.

Opponents of hate crime legislation argue “crime is crime, murder is murder.” They say the government should not punish a thought. They say motive should play no part in the prosecution and punishment of a crime.

But are those reasons even relevant?

The U.S. judicial system doesn’t treat any crimes the same. Motive is always taken into consideration. An accidental murder is not treated the same as a murder committed in a fit of passion or rage. And a murder committed in a fit of passion or rage is not treated the same as one committed with careful planning and a clear motive. The difference is the situation in which the murder was committed. Motive. Reasons behind the killing. And hate should play a part in that consideration.

Hate crimes are crimes that are committed to convey a message. They are different from other crimes in that the one who committed the crime sending a message to members of a certain group. The message is telling them that they are wrong and unwelcome.

We are at a point in time when, as a nation, groups once persecuted and discriminated against are welcomed. But we are not finished.

Crimes committed merely because of skin color, sexual orientation or nationality are still happening. After Sept. 11, minorities resembling the Arabic terrorists were murdered and assaulted around the nation.

That is a hate crime. Matthew Shepard’s murder was a hate crime. Hate still exists. And should be punished like any other motive.

That’s why we can’t ignore these crimes.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver, Omar Tesdell