Equlibrium and Hate Crimes Laws

Equilibrium is only an average sci-fi movie, but it does have one exceptional element, which is that it realizes the potential dangers of hate crimes legislation. Dystopianism in Equilibrium is brought about by "the revolutionary precept of the hate crime" (in the nation state of Libria). I fully understand why so many minority groups do want there to be hate crime legislation and I do sympathize. My problem with such legislation is that ultimately it criminalizes thought as well as action, and therefore could eventually lead to the criminalization of hate speech as well. I would vigorously oppose that, since criminalizing hate speech would likely turn the U.S. in an even more totalitarian direction than we are already going. What if "Christophobia" was labeled hate speech, or anti-corporate rhetoric? No, Equilibrium got it right, in spite of its occasionally insipid plot and lame shots at psychiatric drugs. And it's an enjoyable movie to boot!