Would the knockout thing have been any less heinous if it were white-on-white violence — just some good old droogs looking to give a tolchock in the rot in “A Clockwork Orange?” Incidentally, it’s nothing new either — “happy slapping” was a thing in London ten years ago.

The hate crime charges are just stupid — third-degree assault already carries a year in county jail. Where “county jail” likely means Riker’s Island. No personal experience with the place, but I’ve read that it’s not a nice place to spend a day in, let alone a year.