Final answer:
Hate crimes are often excessively brutal and can target random individuals, typically being fueled by racial, religious, and other biases. The statement in the question true. Such crimes can be attributed to in-group and out-group dynamics and can escalate to dehumanization, which can lead to more serious atrocities like genocide. Effective countermeasures involve condemning hate speech and ensuring hate crimes are prosecuted.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hate crimes tend to be excessively brutal and often involve attacks based on a person's race, religion, or other characteristics. These crimes can indeed be inflicted on random strangers and sometimes involve a group of perpetrators. Strong evidence suggests that hate crimes are a significant social issue, with motivations linked to in-group and out-group dynamics. An example of group dynamic leading to exclusion or torment is the violence committed against people of Asian descent, associating them with the coronavirus pandemic beginning in 2020.
Racially motivated crimes form the bulk of hate crimes, but incidents based on gender expression, sexual orientation, and religious prejudice - notably anti-Semitism - are prevalent. Notable increases in awareness occurred following high-profile cases such as the murders of Brandon Teena and Matthew Shepard in the 1990s. It's important to note while overt physical aggression is not inevitable, there is a human tendency to be suspicious of strangers, which can contribute to the phenomenon of hate crimes.
Combatting hate crimes involves addressing dehumanization, where people are viewed as less than human, which can lead to extreme violence or even genocide. Leaders and societies must take action to prevent the spread of hate speech and to ensure that hate crimes are reported and prosecuted effectively.