Whatever Happened to the Value of Life?

Tommorow (Oct 28) President Obama is scheduled to sign into law the The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act making it a federal crime to assault someone because of their sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. And while Congress is clearly at liberty to enact such legislation, I'm left to ask, "Why?" Not that I in anyway support or advocate violence against someone who leads a homosexual life or has a homosexual orientation, but why is such a special category even necessary? Should not all life be treated equally and with the utmost of value before the law?

Granted, I acknowledge that my convictions on this matter are rooted in the biblical perspective that together men and women are created in the image of God and that in and of itself makes each and every one of us of equally infinite value regardless of our behavior. As humans we simply deserve to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of our race, creed, gender or whatever. But laws like this would suggest to me that not all human life is to be considered equal anymore.

Why shouldn't a crime committed against a heterosexual woman by her husband or lover be considered just as heinous as an assault against a homosexual because of his/her sexual orientation? Perhaps I'm wrong here, but what legislation such as this demonstrates is that we have really trivialized many crimes; when a husband murders his wife it's often referred to as a "crime of passion." What difference should it make if she was murdered with or without passion; does that make it any less of a crime? A human life has been violated, and that more than anything else is the crime! Why doesn't that seem to matter as much anymore?

And what will happen should a homosexual kill a heterosexual because of his/her sexual orientation? Will the courts value the heterosexual victim's life as much as the homosexual's? Will they stand equal before the law if/when roles are reversed?

Somewhere in this effort to make a more just and equitable society, we really seem to be missing what should be some basic truths about the value of humanity. If as a nation we truly believe that all people have been created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among those life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, then why don't we let our laws reflect this core principle?