Classify ALL bashings as HATE CRIMES

It is time to make substantial strides forward to foster respect and civility throughout the US. Minorities are being targeted every day. The most common and often forgotten examples are bashings. These group beatings of individuals further reinforce an environment of fear and fragmentation in tense social settings and reiterate the defenselessness of the individual citizen belonging to a minority group. It is therefore time for the Federal government to classify ALL bashings (be they due to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or any other reason) as HATE CRIMES, and make them carry maximum penatly. Only then will the bullies understand that their behaviour is truly criminal.