There’s an additional fatal flaw to the misguided hate-crime statutes (“Vengeful in Jersey,” Editorial, April 22):

They demean and devalue the lives of non-favored victims.

Other victims of harassment, based solely on non-favored personal traits, would be rightfully outraged were their perpetrator sentenced to probation and community service, while an anti-gay harasser gets 10-15 years in prison.

Equal justice under law should prohibit such disparate punishments.

Keith Onsdorff, Haddonfield, NJ