1.  Is hate just a stance for a specific idea or belief?

2.  How can one define a "hate crime?"

3.  Are punishments for so-called "hate crimes" unconstitutional?

I will be addressing all three questions in this summary, starting with number one.
Yes, hate could technically be classified as someone just standing up for a specific idea or belief, because in the end, no matter how one looks at it, that is what it is, no matter how vulgar or obscene.  If someone truly hates something, that is an idea or stance that person has chosen to take, for their own reasons.  It is sad to say, but if someone is a member of the K.K.K., than yes, obviously they hold hate and resentment towards people of non-aryan descent, but that is an idea that that person would stand up for and hold their ground on.  So, with that being said, is it possible to define a so-called "hate crime?"  In this writer's opinion, yes, it is possible.  The court case that Andrew Sullivan mentions about the gay and straight neighbor and his son getting into the altercation over the grass clippings should not be classified as a hate crime.  To me, that was a spur of the moment thing, with resentment that had been slowly building within the straight neighbor and his son over the gay neighbor's grass clippings.  I think that things finally went to far, and the fact that the one neighbor was gay was an easy outlet for the straight neighbors to unleash heir frustration and anger through.  For something to be prosecuted for a hate crime. I feel that there should be evidence of hate against a specific issue, race, or whatever in a person's past.  Though hate is truly just a stance against something, or a firm belief in an idea, that does not mean that one should be exempt from being responsible for his or her crime if it truly was based out of hate.  Yes, the case that Sullivan mentions about the white men dragging the black man to death behind their car, that is obviously a hate crime.  The men had a history of involvement with white supremacist groups, and they deserved to be fully responsible for their crimes, which truly were "hate crimes."  So, in my own opinion, "hate crime" punishments are not unconstitutional, as long as their is sufficient evidence to prove that the crime was based out of hate.