For a view from the other side, see http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/29/hate-crimes-hysteria/ , especially the comments. They honestly feel that we “hate” them and that opposition to the bill means that we want them assaulted.
How is it possible to bridge this divide?
People love to think of themselves as victims because it’s an automatic excuse for all failures. They will cling to their victimhood for dear life; it’s nearly impossible to sway them from this belief which, in a universe without God, is the most comforting thing in the world.