With just days left in the 2008 legislative session, one controversial measure has gone nowhere. It's a bill creating a Georgia hate crimes law.

Lee Ragans said he still feels what he felt nearly three years ago, when he found swastikas and obscenities burned into his front yard in Lawrenceville.

"It's not just, hey, leave me alone -- It is, I really want to make sure that you are terrified," Ragans said.

To Ragans, this wasn't vandalism. It was a hate crime.

Not as violent, but with the same motivation as the beating of two African-American brothers in Little Five Points. But Georgia has no law that tracks hate crimes or sets tougher punishments for people convicted of them.

"I do not want my children to face a wall that has a swastika," said Bill Nigut of the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL, representatives of law enforcement, and other human rights groups demanded state lawmakers pass a hate crimes law.

"This is a malicious, intentional, targeted crime; where somebody makes a decision based on characteristics of the victim that they have no control over," said Fayetteville Police Chief Steve Heaton.

A hate crimes bill was introduced last year in the Georgia legislature, but it stalled. Now, with time running out in the two-year session, supporters are hoping it can pass at the last minute, if they can attach it to another bill.

"It's time. It's time has come and we need to do this business," said state Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta), author of the proposed legislation.

But opponents have at least two arguments -- first, they say, a hate crimes bill is legally flawed.

"If you mug somebody because of the color of their skin, it's no different than if you mug somebody to steal their wallet," said state Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah).

For others, it's a social issue.

""I'm convinced that hate crimes legislation is pro-homosexual legislation," said Sen. Nancy Schaefer (R-Turnerville)

Both sides promise they'll be back next year.

The bill increases fines and prison terms for those convicted of hate crimes.

And this from what appears to be some homo site:

http://www.sovo.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17284

The ADL will protest every session until an inclusive hate crimes bill is passed, ADL Southeast Regional Director Bill Nigut said.