UK: Hatred's heinous, but is it a crime?

[Natasha]

UK: Hatred's heinous, but is it a crime?

http://www.sundayherald.com/oped/opinion/display.var.2512845.0.0.php
Ian Bell
6/7/09

It was the sort of behaviour of which dismayed observers of the House
of Commons can only dream. Better yet, Harvie's law is designed to
afford protection to groups who could, all things considered, do with
the help. It places "hate crimes" against the disabled, and against
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities on the
same footing as offences inspired, if that's the word, by racism or
perverted religious belief.

I applaud the intent. Last Wednesday's decision by the parliament may
even have been, as Harvie claimed, "a day all Scots can be proud of".
After all, as sections of the Church of Scotland have been busy
demonstrating, bigotry is never too far from the surface in this
vexatious little country.