Posted on 09/30/2005 12:12:49 PM PDT by Anthem
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives has approved a bill that includes a hate crimes amendment.
That could make preaching or teaching against homosexuality a federal crime. It has gotten almost no news coverage, but critics say it poses a major threat to religious liberties.
The Hate Crimes Amendment, by Michigan Democrat John Conyers, was attached to the Children's Safety Act last week. It would federalize local crimes if the suspected motive is animosity toward homosexuals or "transgender" persons.
The amendment, which passed with the help of 30 Republicans, seems to have taken conservatives by surprise.
Republican leaders explained that party members voted to pass the Child Safety Bill even with the amendment attached, because they wanted the protection of children, and they figured that the Hate Crimes Amendment would be stripped off when the joint House-Senate conference Committee tackles the bill.
But the Senate, which will now take up the legislation, has passed similar hate crimes bills several times, and those were always blocked by House conservatives.
Some fear that under the law, preaching or teaching against homosexual conduct could be prosecuted as conspiracy to commit a hate crime.
A similar state law in Pennsylvania led directly to the arrests of 11 Christians in Philadelphia in a public park last year, and the felony prosecution of five of those Christians. The charges were eventually dropped.
Some House members are confident that the amendment will be cleaned up in committee, but some fear the Senate will pass the hate crimes provision as is and send it to the President for his signature.
Hate-crime language doesn't belong in bill
H.R.3132 TITLE X--LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION (Text of Amendment, status of bill)
There is an Amendment process. If they want the First Amendment to read differently, they should start the wheels in motion.
It may not contain all the necessary pieces to do all that but it is a major piece of it.
Criminalizing speach and thought is the highway to get us there.
The articles of all that befell canada have all been posted here and can be looked up and compared with this.
Good luck getting that past the 1st Ammendment.
"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."
Another reason why some of us shake our heads in wonder that some of you actually think that voting Republican and giving money to Republican candidates is not a total waste of time. The pubbies, who support this nonsense, are laughing all the way to the bank with your hard earned money. Suckers!
Dunno. It's a "hate crimes" not "hate speech" law. The link to the law as passed by the house is above. In it they give the authority to determine determine whether a crime (or violence -- which may be self defense) was motivated by "prejudice".
If you're politically active, call the President's office and call your Senator's office. Tell them to strip out Title X in conference, or amend the bill in the Senate and send it back to the House.
This is up there with the Lawrence case being only about privacy. HA! Does anyone believe that today, now that gay marriage is being ordered by the courts? This is their m.o. They seek precedent on one premise, and then use it for another. It is all very deceptive, bait-and-switch stuff. So no one should be suckered by the phony arguments this time. That doesn't mean they won't be, only that they shouldn't be.
Yeah, that's real helpful.
Is this a joke?
Who are the Republicans who voted in favor of "hate crimes" amendment? Do you have a list, or link that works?
Is a 'transgender' person someone who is evolving into another gender?
"but some fear the Senate will pass the hate crimes provision as is and send it to the President for his signature."
Is this something Pres. Bush can veto if at passes the Senate before getting "cleaned up"?
So, what is conservative about the GOP-led Congress? Nothing that I can see. If it wasnt' for all of the phoney partisanship, I couldn't tell one party from mthe other.
Ok - I know this is a serious thread/topic, but I just have to comment on what a great picture that is!
Bush veto? That's like asking a shark to go vegetarian.
I just finished reading this and see this thread! UGH! Need to know how they voted and get on the phone.
Good luck getting that past the 1st Ammendment.
LOL!!
RINO Jim Kolbe was one of the very few Republicans who voted for the amendment to this "Child Safety" legislation which provides "hate crimes protections" (ie. special rights) for those who have chosen a deviant same-sex lifestyle (aka. "gays" or "homosexuals") and those who have had or want to have their genitalia surgically mutilated or removed to make them cosmetically appear as a member of the opposite sex (aka. "transgenders" or "transexuals").
Since being forced to admit to his chosen lifestyle (ie. coming out), and despite his promises at the time that his voting habits would not change, RINO Rep. Kolbe has become a champion for the radical gay agenda and can't seem to find gay agenda promoting legislation that he wont sponsor or vote for. His voting record and public statements on this issue are totally at odds with the Republican Party Platform.
The good news is that RINO Jim Kolbe is being challenged by a conservative Republican in the 2006 Primary Election. Randy Graf is a solid pro-life, pro-family, pro-border security Reagan Republican who served successfully as the House Majority Whip in the Arizona House of Representatives.
Randy Graf deserves your support. You can learn more about Randy Graf and how to support him by visiting his website at http://www.votegraf.com. Your help is desperately needed as Jim Kolbe was able to outspend Randy Graf by 10-1 in last years Primary Election.
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