Exactly. Beating the crap out of anybody is horrible. Now, true, one might argue it's "more" horrible to just randonmly select somebody to beat because they are (fill in the blank.) However, there's still not need for "hate crime" laws, because that random threat factor can be argued as an aggravating circumstance.

Plus, I was quite familiar with case in which a guy beat the crap out of a little old lady in her home. No "hate crime" law would cover that.
So, are we saying the guy should have been punished more if he had instead chosen to beat up a gay guy? Would it have somehow hurt a gay guy more to be punched in the face by this cretin than it hurt that little old lady?
No, I say. This guy is clearly a sick person who is a violent threat to others. I don't care WHO he beat up. His actions made me furious regardless. The fact is, he beat up a weak, defensless person. And therefore has no business being a free man -- at least not for a very long time.