This has become more a conversation about what a swear word means.
Ashlee is spot on. A swear word, on the whole anyway, is used to accentuate meaning - to give it a "boost" if you like.
And other swears that direct at people are generic in terms, you f'in so-and-so and what not.
Hate words though are totally separate. Ashlee again provides good examples. A swear, the majority of time, is to increase the sentiment behind a phrase and/or feeling.
Take my feelings about David Cameron, I think he is a f'ing w****r - generic terms for a person I am not very fond of. However (forgive me for this Ashlee, I don't mean this of course!) calling Ashlee a f'in tranny is using a swear to accentuate something very personal that I do not like about her, and is using a swear to add depth of feeling to a form of prejudice - but taken on it's own, obviously the prejudice is the hate, the f is the passion and depth of feeling.
Of course I really think Ashlee is f'ing brave, open, and has been very friendly and welcoming to me - although only speaking in a forum, she seems a f'in top gal to me!! Yet again, I use it to enhance a point of view, this time positive (and the one I actually mean this time lol!).
I don't think it can be argued that swears are hate language, though my black mates used to call me the N word as a greeting, meaning I was just about as accepted as I could get in the group, I never ever used it in return (though I did always respond "mate, you need to go to specsavers"), as you understand the connotations of a word/meaning - it is a cultural definition, and even in that context, how it is said, and who by, gave the word that meaning.
People who are offended by swearing, are usually offended by the definition of it as a "curse", not as hate language. I respect those ultimately who don't like swearing, and as others mentioned, when out and about I think more manners can be shown by some public - and I most certainly cannot stand hearing it used around or by very young children!
It is an interesting discussion on hate speech, but let's not make more of it than it is. Swearing, is cursing, and a entirely different matter to hate speech.