This document discusses the issue of hate crimes that take place on the internet through a more political point of view. Senator Patrick Leahy examines how we as a country should be able to control and protect people from such heinous crimes by enforcing laws, including the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Senator Leahy is commenting on the fact that these crimes might not be prosecuted so easily because of the rights that the First Amendment allows people to have on free speech, but that there is still an effective way in which the government can help protect people against such predators. He also goes on to suggest some ways in which this can be accomplished through the government and the people, as a whole.

Leahy, Patrick. Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing on "Hate Crimes and the Internet." leahy.senate.gov. 1999 September 14. 2007 April 1. <http://leahy.senate.gov/press/199909/990914.html