Hate Crime Laws: Encourage or Discourage racism/discrimination?

Do laws stating that crimes committed by one individual against another individual that based on their: race/gender/religious background/sexual orientation encourage further discrimination, or does it discourage it?

The law itself is saying that people of a minority should be treated differently, isn't that law in itself discrimination?

Encourage discrimination. Equal crimes should be tried equally, without regard to the color or sex or religion of the victim.

The law itself is not saying that people who are a minority should be treated differently. I feel that the law may discourage some because they know that there will be ramifications if racial and/or discriminatory hate is spewed while concurrently committing a crime. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of what prejudice others may feel inside.

For example, if one is road rage and calls someone a racist term then hits their car as a result, then a hate crime has been committed. There is no ambiguity, rather a hate crime has occurred and should be treated as such. On the other hand, the cowards who commit these crimes are trying to find ways to not be punished for who and what they are..a racist, intolerant, ignorant individual.

We all have equal protection under the law. It is appalling that LGBT's would compare themselves to Blacks in America as if they had the same struggle. They are a group of haters that want to discriminate against morality.

Neither, But it is insulting