Like if the legislation was targeted towards violent groups that commit those types of crimes. Like the KKK, or Neo-Nazis, etc....as a law aimed towards individuals I think it is pointless, and the money would be better served educating young people.

What they're doing makes enough sense to me, they're making the law provide equal protection, or whatever you want to call it, but I just don't think hate crime legislation on the whole is an effective method of preventing or punishing these crimes.

If I hate someone because they're gay the thought of going to federal prison instead of state prison isn't likely to keep me from committing the crime, and in either case I'm going to prison and will just have my attitudes reinforced while I'm there.