Hate Crime?

(Morris, Illinois) Based upon the reporting, I'd like to think that there is more to this hate crime.

A Morris man was sentenced in circuit court Thursday to 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

Charles Woods, 19, 816 E. Benton St., was given credit for 141 days served. He was fined $200 and ordered to submit a DNA sample and pay the $200 fee.

A battery charge for punching Carlos Luevano in the face at 326 E. Jackson St. on July 28 was dismissed.

Woods was charged with a hate crime for punching Luevano because of his national origin.

A year and a half in prison for one punch in the chops seems harsh. It also seems that the determination of a hate crime is arbitrary. If I slug a guy for offending me and he turns out to be from some hate-worthy origin, whether I knew it or not, it would be classified as a hate crime. That doesn't seem right.