You're correct, the media spin is focusing on the "hate crime" issue.
Forgive me, but isn't a murder still a murder when it involves race, religion, sexual orientation, or ANY other motive?
If you were white and murdered your wife's lover, who was black, could this constitute a "hate crime"? If it was, could your life sentence all of a sudden be extended (or bumped to the death penalty) because of the "hate crime" status? And what about the black punk who carjacks a white couple and pops them with his nine? Isn't that a "hate crime"? And what about a Catholic guy who murders a Jewish guy, couldn't that be construed as a "hate crime" too?
The plain and simple truth is that murder is a capital crime with laws and punishment long since established. Allowing special designations of such crimes can lead to some interesting dominos to fall. But this special designation is where the socialists are taking us.
You already see it in the media, after Waco, Ruby Ridge, OKC, Columbine, and the latest Smith murders. Focusing attention not on the criminal actions of the individual, but the group (or root cause) that may have provoked this criminal thinking. Be it Freemen, militias, white supremicists, or whatever.
Remembering that all men are created equal, and innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, this "hate crime" designation could lead to more demonizing of more recognized and established (and legitimate) groups like the NRA or GOA (for example). Then give reason to go after the members of such groups as potentially dangerous to society
If the specific group does not abide by the socialist thinking or play by the socialist rules, why not make scapegoats out of them? Make people hate them by association? Isn't this the intention of the socialist's agenda on making "hate crime" an issue? The media has already demonized the NRA for the Columbine incident by association (guns=murder), haven't they? What could be next? What if a murderer just happened to be a dues paying member of NRA or GOA (which wouldn't seem likely), couldn't he be labeled, "fanatical pro-gun"? Giving way for a different attack on gunowners...hmmm.
Are we following this trend closely enough to protect our individual rights from a fronted attack, just because we may be associated with someone or something that has been labeled bad by the media? Keep your eyes wide open, and watch your backs too.