Opposition Mounts to “Thought Crimes” Bill

Pacific Justice Institute ^ | May 23, 2007 | PRESS RELEASE

[colorcountry]

Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 5:23 PM

Subject: Here's where it is going

 

Pacific Justice Institute

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release - May 23, 2007
Contact: President Brad Dacus (916) 857-6900 

Opposition Mounts to “Thought Crimes” Bill 

Sacramento, CA – Opposition is mounting to HR 1592, the federal hate crimes bill that PJI president Brad Dacus testified against in Washington, D.C., a few weeks ago.  In response to a PJI alert, petitions are pouring in from concerned citizens who want Congress to know that they oppose this effort to penalize and even criminalize the expression of moral viewpoints.  The PJI petition is now available online and can be submitted via www.pacificjustice.org.            

Attorney Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, noted, “As I warned Congress a few weeks ago, this so-called ‘hate crimes’ bill should really be called a ‘thought crimes’ bill because it takes the unprecedented step of examining motives, not just actions, that are deemed discriminatory.  In the hands of hostile government bureaucrats, this legislation would be devastating to people of conscience and people of faith.  As we have publicized this bill, the American people are starting to realize just how dangerous it is.”              

In his Congressional testimony, Mr. Dacus focused on persistent misuse of “hate crimes” laws and “hate speech” labeling to stifle free speech, especially religious speech.  Mr. Dacus highlighted several instances where PJI has defended peaceful religious believers against charges that the expression of their viewpoints constituted “hate speech.”  He also pointed to recent efforts by minority religious groups to shut down Christian missions and apologetics websites on the pretext that their unflattering portrayals of other religions are “hate speech.”  These and many similar situations, it was argued, demonstrate that the use of such labeling for a select group of individuals, especially homosexuals, transgender persons and minority religious groups, can quickly spiral out of control and be used as a pretext for stifling dissent and shutting down disagreement.  In spite of the warnings from PJI, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1592, and it is currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.             

Please visit our website [click here] and submit an online petition opposing the “thought crimes” legislation, HR 1592.

 

 

==========================================
www.mrm.org

 

“The American Indians found out what happens when you don’t control immigration.”

 

Are you receiving

[colorcountry]

I'm posting this because I have been accused of hate right here on FreeRepublic. The reason for the charge is because I have the unmitigated audacity to question the tenents of a religious belief.

In order that you can see how insidious these supposed "thought crimes" have become, I will post some background. I was born into a family who follows a certain religion. I was baptized at age eight, graduated from primary, mutual and Seminary. Married under the approved religious guidelines for time and all eternity. I thought I would live happily ever-after with my mate and have the opportunity to become the mate of a god.

To most of you this will sound incredulous, but it is in fact the truth. Because of life experience, reading, education, questions and soul-searching I came to understand the false claims of my religion, and so I began the long process of leaving.

After 20 years of wandering in disbelief, I came to a belief in a more expanded version on an omnipotent and omnipresent God. I became Christian, just five years ago. I am filled with zeal to tell my story of discovery and warn others of the traps I fell into when I belonged to a group that fostered the belief in the pre-existence of mankind with the eternal Father, a teaching that leads to the beliefs of being a brother to Jesus Christ, Satan, and each and every soul upon earth through birth to God the Father in a heavenly realm....and that through obedience to ordinances and covenants while we exist on earth, we have the capability to progress into godhood.

For telling this on FreeRepublic, I am accused of hatred, blackness of spirit, past hurts that I am unable to overcome. In fact I have been reported to the Moderators and Jim Robinson personally for having the gall to actually speak about my own experiences. Thanks to Jim and the Moderators I have been allowed to remain an active participant in the give and take of ideas here. THANK YOU!

Please folks, wake up. We are facing an assault on our first amendment rights of freedom of expression.

"Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

The first amendment guarantees you the freedom to establish a religion and exercize it, AND it gives me the freedom to express my ideas concerning your belief whether it is verbal or by written expression. If you exclude my right to disagree with your religious belief, your right to practice your religion will be next.

[colorcountry]

ping

[Puppage]

Scrapple Face?

[colorcountry]

Nope it’s the real deal.

[heywaitadarnminute]

The first amendment guarantees you the freedom to establish a religion and exercize it, AND it gives me the freedom to express my ideas concerning your belief whether it is verbal or by written expression. If you exclude my right to disagree with your religious belief, your right to practice your religion will be next.

I've been thhinking about forming a religion that worships shrubbery. Because of your post I think I will!

Our shrubbery, which art in heaven.....

[Quix]

Excellent.

Congrats.

It is a very serious, huge issue and plan of globalists

toward

1. doing away with Christianity and

2. creating a one world religion to worship satan . . .

all as The Bible predicts.

We must do what we can to prevent such as long as possible.

[colorcountry]

Yep, you can call your shrub “jesus” then claim you worship the ‘true’ jesus. His daddy is that big hedge in the sky....isn’t he?

[FastCoyote]

“I’ve been thinking about forming a religion that worships shrubbery. “

Well I’ve been known to worship Bush, but that is another story.

[MHGinTN]

Are we about to become outlaws?

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

This sort of law tries to criminalize thoughts (intentions, bias, hate). Laws can validly criminalize actions, not thoughts. This sort of law is invalid. Obviously our legislators know that it is invalid, but plan to enforce it anyway.
There is a lot to be gained politically from this sort of law. Anything that a White Christian male says or does, or doesn’t say or do, is the subject of this law. White Christian males have no political power because legislators don’t care about White Christian males.

[colorcountry]

I think we already are. Read Leftism is Mentally Deranged’s post #10.

[Dante3]

“Hate crime” laws make no sense and they can pose a real danger.

[greyfoxx39]

In his Congressional testimony, Mr. Dacus focused on persistent misuse of “hate crimes” laws and “hate speech” labeling to stifle free speech, especially religious speech.

heywaitadarnminute wrote, "“I’ve been thinking about forming a religion that worships shrubbery.“

So, if I
(1)Qestion the believability of your worship of shrubbery, and your attempt to convert me to your belief in shrubbery
(2)Request that you provide Biblical sources to validate your belief in shrubbery
(3)Refuse to accept the brochure you got at the plant nursery as a legitimate proof of divinity of the "Shrub of all Shrubs"

I will be libeled as "hater", "bigot" and "prejudiced against any and all forms of plant life"?

[MHGinTN]

Bwahahaha ... brilliant! [Now where did I put that brochure on bushes from the nursery?]

[greyfoxx39]

;)

[yhwhsman]

I have been accused of hate right here on FreeRepublic

From the description of your former religion, I'll bet it was by Romney fans.