As a conservative, I undoubtedly differ with the opinions expressed in NUVO, oh I don’t know, nine out of 10 times. However, your piece on hate crimes in Indiana was brilliantly written (News, “Hate Crimes in Indiana,” June 20-27). You laid out the facts, resorted to no vitriolic name calling as is oft the case in today’s news (“right” or “left”), kept your opinion out of it, yet still made your point loud and clear — and one that I agree with 1,000 percent.

It is shameful that we do not have this legislation that seems to be so clear-cut. I would be curious to know what pet project(s) were tagged to the bill that MAY have helped keep it from passing. But that would still be a shameful excuse for not doing something. And this is the shameful way politics though is pursued in the U.S. today. Nothing gets passed on its merits alone — someone always has to get something even when things should be passed on their own merits. But I digress.

Being Christian it makes me want to vomit when I hear other “Christians” be excited about the demise of a bill that is clearly needed. Christ would not wish such violent acts on anyone, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. I may not agree with how someone leads their life but that does not mean they should not be afforded protections, stronger ones, from such violent criminals that clearly should be put behind bars longer than the “average” assaulter (if there is such a thing). Nor does it mean that just because someone thinks homosexuals should not be protected, those of race should also not be protected.