Hate Crime Bill Dispute?

I read some articles today revolving around the Hate Crime Bill that failed to pass in recent years largely due to the Republican majority in the House and the Senate. Since the Democrats are now in the majority, it's assumed that the Hate Crime Bill will pass.

The articles I read today were rather negative concerning the Hate Crime Bill, stating that it'd basically ruin the first amendment. I then did some research on this Hate Crime Bill and did some fact-checking regarding differing views of the bill.

From how I understand it, the bill would be enforced only in cases that crimes were committed against a person(s) due to their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or being disabled. If a KKK member mugged an African-American man for the simple fact that he's African-American, that's a hate crime. The bill would protect people such as this African-American male. How's that take away from out first amendment rights? Our rights to commit criminal conduct against minorities? Where's that freedom located in the Constitution: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, right to bare arms, freedom to beat up or kill someone different than you. No, I'm not familiar with that "freedom."

Some people associated with religion claim that this bill would damage the church and what pastors could preach. They claim that if/when preachers spoke out against homosexuality, that they could be arrested under this bill. No, that's not true. If the preacher went out and mugged a gay man because he's gay, then that crime would fall under this bill, but not speaking one's opinion about a person or group of people.

The thing is, pastors and churches weren't up in arms about this bill until homosexuals were included as people who'd be protected. Now it's "infringing" on their first amendment rights. They may want to read over what our forefathers wrote, because I can't recollect there being the "right to mug, batter, and kill someone because you don't agree with their orientation." They may not agree with the orientation. They may feel that it's an "abomination to God." But, as far as I can see, this bill is only trying to give gays and other minorities equal rights as the majority. How that's "infringing" on our first amendment rights, I haven't the slightest idea.