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Here is a press release from the Anti-Defamation League.

 ADL Dismayed by Ohio Court Decision Striking Down Hate Crimes Law
 To: National Desk
 Contact: Myrna Shinbaum, 212-490-2525, ext. 145, or
          Steve Freeman, 212-490-2525, ext. 113
          both of the Anti-Defamation League

   NEW YORK, Aug. 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) today expressed dismay at the Ohio Supreme Court decision
striking down that state's hate crimes law as unconstitutional.  The
league had filed an amicus brief urging that the law be upheld.
   "Contrary to the reasoning of the Ohio Supreme Court, we do not
believe that Ohio's hate crimes law punishes bad ideas," said Melvin
Salberg, ADL national chairman, and Abraham H. Foxman, the league's
national director.  "The law enhances the penalty for crimes
motivated by bias, and only comes into play after a crime is
committed," they added.  "Citizens of Ohio are entitled to think and
believe as they choose without state interference, but if their
bigotry prompts them to engage in criminal conduct, the state should
be able to punish that conduct as it sees fit."
   Ohio is one of many states which have enacted penalty enhancement
hate crimes laws based on or similar to an ADL model statute.  It is
likely that the Supreme Court will agree to review this approach in
its next term, and the ADL remains confident of its constitutional
soundness.  Certainly at a time when bias-motiviated crimes are on
the rise and many communities are tinderboxes of hate waiting to
explode, the need for special laws to combat such crimes could not be
greater, said the ADL.
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   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80