Senate Adds Hate Crimes to Defense Bill

Sodomites Hope to Punish Those Opposed to their Lifestyle

By Jim Day

On June 15th the U.S. Senate voted to expand hate crimes legislation to cover crimes that target people because of their sexual orientation. The hate crimes measure was an amendment tacked on to the Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal year 2005 by cosponsors, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR). Approved by a vote of 65-33, with all Democrats and 18 Republicans voting in favor of the measure, the amendment (which is tucked away in the Defense Bill) is now in the House of Representatives for debate. Republican Senators Jim Talent and Kit Bond of Missouri and Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois voted against the amendment, while Democrat Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois voted in favor of the amendment.

Should the House approve the Defense Bill with the hate crimes amendment still attached, and should the President sign it into law, the measure will allow the federal government to provide state and local law enforcement agencies with the same resources used in the prosecution of other bias-motivated crimes.

Concerned Women for America (CWA) warned that the amendment lays the groundwork for the persecution of Christians, Orthodox Jews, Muslims and others

who oppose homosexuality on religious grounds. “Using similar laws, the mere criticism of homosexuality is considered a hate crime in Sweden and Canada,” stated Robert Knight, Director of CWA’s Culture and Family Institute. “The idea of a hate crime is completely contrary to the American principles of free speech and equal protection under the law. Any senator who voted for this is setting up our children and grandchildren for persecution, as activist courts rule that biblical morality is bigotry.” Knight continued. CWA says, "Hate crimes laws aren’t about justice; they are about favoritism and special rights.” As an example, CWA said, "Under the amendment passed, the penalty for mugging a homosexual would be greater than that for mugging someone's grandmother. Under a hate crimes law, someone who mugs your grandmother will not be prosecuted as vigorously as someone who commits the same crime against a homosexual. This says to criminals: ‘Mug Grandma; It’s less risky,’” CWA continued. Homosexual advocacy groups praised the vote. The National Stonewall Democrats, which describes itself as the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, applauded those lawmakers who “rejected the divisive politics of the Republican leadership.” The Stonewall Democrats said the federal government must prosecute bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation the same way it prosecutes bias-motivated crimes based on religion, race and other characteristics. “The legislation would ensure that these crimes are prosecuted by the federal government with equity,”

Senator Ted Kennedy

the Stonewall Democrats said in a press release. But as pleased as they were, the National Stonewall Democrats believe the measure doesn't go far enough, because, “…it fails to explicitly address bias-motivated crimes that target transgender individuals.”

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) praised the Senate for taking an “important step toward giving law enforcement the tools they need to investigate and prosecute hate crimes.” According to HRC President Cheryl Jacques, “Hate crimes are perpetrated by criminals trying to divide Americans and such heinous crimes must be fully prosecuted.”

CWA also noted, “This is more proof that while being Republican led, the Senate is not a conservative body. We now must rely on the House leadership to keep this harmful language from reaching the President’s desk, and we will encourage our members to look at their senators’ votes on this bill as they consider who they will support and oppose in November.”

Liberal groups are urging Congressmen to retain the amendment when the Defense Authorization Bill is reconciled in conference. Conservative groups are urging lawmakers to strip the amendment from the final Bill.

End Note

As mentioned earlier, should the US House of Representatives approve the Defense Authorization Bill, and should President Bush sign it with the hate crimes legislation still included, this law will criminalize free speech of Christians preaching, writing and speaking out against the sin of homosexuality. Do not be lulled into thinking otherwise. If this law goes into effect – regardless of any so-called “exclusions,” which may be included to protect religious speech – I guarantee you that some activist judge, working with attorneys from any number of homosexual activist groups, will find a way around any exclusions. At the very least, just like the ACLU, they will bring law suits designed to intimidate, harass and silence any pastor or ministry that dares to speak out against the homosexual lifestyle. This has already happened in Canada and Sweden, where some folks have been prosecuted, fined and even imprisoned, for so called hate speech.

Fortunately, here in Missouri we have a number of Congressmen who will vote to strip the hate crimes legislation from the Defense Bill. Illinois I’m not sure of. However, Congress consists of representatives from every state in the union, and I would imagine practically every reader of the MetroVoice knows someone – a relative, friend or business acquaintance in another state who can be called, and encouraged to contact their Congressman and tell them to take the hate crimes amendment out of the Defense Bill. Do not wait for someone else to act! Call your Congressman and call those you know in other states today, and tell them to tell their Congressman NOT TO ALLOW THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL TO PASS WITH THE HATE CRIMES AMENDMENT, OR ANYTHING REMOTELY RESEMBLING ANYTHING TO DO WITH GIVING HOMOSEXUALS SPECIAL PROTECTIONS, INCLUDED IN THE BILL!