I'll admit to feeling a burning anger just looking at the swollen, bloodied, contorted face of 23-year-old

of Mobile. According to a report by Press-Register/al.com reporter Theresa Seiger, Owens was attacked and beaten after Thanksgiving dinner at her girlfriend's parents' house. Travis Hawkins Jr., Owens' girlfriend's brother, has been charged with second-degree assault.

Immediately there was a rush to judgment by some: This is a hate crime, sparked because Hawkins didn't like Owens, a lesbian, dating his sister, Ally Hawkins. National groups that advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community may be gearing up for yet another campaign in Alabama. We don't have a good reputation for tolerance on LGBT issues (or many other social issues, for that matter); indeed, should Hawkins be charged with a hate crime, he would be charged by the federal government because the Alabama Legislature has refused to make sexual orientation a hate crime category. The U.S. Justice Department and FBI are investigating to see if Owens is the victim of a hate crime.

So let's not rush to conclusions about this being a qualified hate crime; let's be patient while the investigation continues. It has been just more than a week since the attack. There is still much to learn. Previous reports indicate that the Hawkins family has a violent

. Owens said in a statement that Travis Hawkins Jr. previously assaulted her, though she didn't file charges in that incident.

What we do know is that angry, intolerant, brutal individuals do attack people based on their sexual orientation -- and that this could be one of those terrible crimes.

But not always. As openly gay state Rep. Patricia Todd, D-Birmingham, said in a telephone interview, "Sometimes we're just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we're a victim and it has nothing to do with our (orientation)."

Todd is chair of Equality Alabama, the lead LGBT organization in the state, and she said the group has reached out to Owens.

"The (Hawkins) family says they're not homophobes," Todd said. "We're taking a very conservative stand, and trying to back off the national folks. We have to respect the rights of law enforcement and of Mallory herself."

Todd will continue her efforts to get the state hate crime law to include "sexual orientation and gender identity," as it should. She said the chances, with conservative Republicans in control of the Legislature, are "minimal."

"I've been fighting this battle for five years, even with the Democrats," Todd said. "The argument I always get is that all victims should be considered the same."

But Todd points out that there are already enhanced penalties for particular crimes against police officers, children and teachers, among others. "I'm going to have a bill that repeals those enhanced penalties and call them on it," she said.

Mallory Owens continues to recover from the severe beating, and the pressure is on to charge Travis Hawkins Jr. with attempted murder. That is separate from any federal hate crime charges.

Owens, in a

published by al.com on Friday, said "It will be a very long time before I feel safe again. This sort of attack, whether it is proven to be a hate crime or a crime derived from one man's hate of another human being, should not happen to anybody in this country. No one should have to endure an attack the way I did."

Todd again urged patience: "We have to see how the evidence plays out and let law enforcement do its job," she said. "The FBI and Justice Department have done an outstanding job working with the LGBT community."

Considering the beating Owens suffered, a second-degree assault charge does seem too light. And if the federal investigation indicates a hate crime has been committed, Hawkins Jr. should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

For now, though, let's follow Todd's good advice: Let law enforcement do its work. There will be plenty of time later to analyze what really happened, and whether Travis Hawkins Jr. was acting out of hate for Owens' sexual orientation.

What do you think?

Joey Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize-winner, is a community engagement specialist for al.com and The Birmingham News. Reach him at jkennedy@al.com.