I don't know yet if it is relevant however i can easily see how it would not be relevant in the context originally supplied. Columbine wasn't a hate crime against students, it was a student attacking their social group for making them "pariah", this wasn't a hate crime against LGBT, it was a LGBT attacking their social group.
I'm not saying those are the contexts, I don't know, I haven't been following the story.closely. However thplinth within those contexts isn't really saying anything crazy or weird.
Perhaps he's more intelligent to you and his point is beyond you, as opposed to he is saying things he doesn't believe. Both possibilities.