Are hate crimes up?

Maybe hate crimes (or perhaps "gay bashing" is a better term since many places don't consider beating the living Christ out of someone for being gay a hate crime) are up or maybe they're just being reported more. In any case there seems to be a lot of them listed around the net today, especially here

That link takes you to a blog that lists all sorts of gay news and trivia of interest to gay men. In one posting there are 5 references to hate crimes against gays. At least I count 5, many wouldn't consider a bill being legislated in Uganda to spare gays a prison sentence in favor of forced reversion therapy in government mental facilities a crime. The fact that homosexuality is still a crime there is - in and of itself - a crime against all of humanity.

Also on the list: the murder and attempted murder of a gay couple in London, a gay-bashing a DePaul University, a protest of a high school in Vermont, and the muder of a gay truck Driver.

So back to my continual rant about things like Prop. 8 passing in California: what sort of message does it send to the perpatrators of these crimes when we tell the world that gay people are lesser people, that they do not have as much value as others? Something to think about.