Posted on 04/26/2007 1:34:30 AM PDT by Man50D
Edited on 04/26/2007 2:08:18 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
A fast-tracked congressional plan to add special protections for homosexuals to federal law would turn "thoughts, feelings, and beliefs" into criminal offenses and put Christians in the bull's-eye, according to opponents.
"H.R. 1592 is a discriminatory measure that criminalizes thoughts, feelings, and beliefs [and] has the potential of interfering with religious liberty and freedom of speech," according to a white paper submitted by Glen Lavy, of the Alliance Defense Fund.
As James Jacobs and Kimberly Potter observed in Hate Crimes, Criminal Law, and Identity Politics, 'It would appear that the only additional purpose [for enhancing punishment of bias crimes] is to provide extra punishment based on the offender's politically incorrect opinions and viewpoints,'" said Lavy.
The proposal has been endorsed by majority Democrats on the committee, and already has 137 sponsors in the full House, making it possible it could be voted on in a matter of days or weeks.
"This is a terrible thing, to criminalize thought or emotion or even speech," Lavy told WND, referring to H.R. 1592, now pending at the committee level in the U.S. House. Democrats there have been turning back amendments that would strip it of its worst provisions, according to an observer.
Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, said the plan, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act of 2007, is no more than "a surreptitious attempt by some in Congress to strip the nation of religious freedom and the ability to preach the gospel from our church pulpits."
"It will stamp all over our doctrine and practice of our faith," he said. "We believe what the Bible says. If you start there we've got a major problem."
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H. R. 1592 Sponsors an Full Text
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“I HATE the abridgement of the First Amendment.”
What do you say us Freepers send John Conyers a copy of the Constitution, because apparently he doesn’t own one. (And highlight the first and fourteenth amendments.)
Pink Floyd had it right:
“We don’t need no thought control...”
Not that I’m very knowledgable, but notice that, sequentially, this bill is numbered after the “surrender Iraq” bill—HR 1591. An agenda well thought out by our nation’s enemies.
When I visited the Holocaust Museum in DC, I was struck by how quickly Hitler’s laws were introduced, passed and implemented. This congress is giving me deja vue.
This congress is gining me the creeps.
Famous last words. You sound like George Bush as he signed CFR.
The bill was proposed by Conyers. Why are you blaming Giuliani?
Amen.
I agree, though I'd oppose it on the grounds that this is a state issue, there's no legitimate reason to federalize this type of criminality. Of course the reason for the legislation is a combination of political opportunism and the grant program.
Portraying it as "Christian's in the bull's-eye" is a bit of a stretch, unless someone considers the KKK just a group of Christians. I can think of a particular religion known for religiously based violence, probably impact theme more.
The actual article is excerpted, and goes into a number of other issues which make the authors point.
>>I HATE the abridgement of the First Amendment.<<
If we can strip out the provision where the Feds help states prosecute under state law (which might include speech as a hate crime) that would limit the assistance to cases that are hate crimes under Federal law which is only for bodily injury.
If the bill can’t be killed we should at least get that part amended. Its not safe to assume the courts will throw this out.
how can you support the homosexual and not his mission...
hmmm, sounds familiar.... like we support the troops, but not the mission...
hmmmm
teeman
Dig it.
Someday -- seriously -- it will be a misdemeanor to have improper thoughts, even if unaccompanied by action.
The technology is coming, and America has become a much different country than the one I was born in.
Because those who helped caused the lose of Congress, would rather blame someone besides themselves for the consequences.
You might want to add the excerpt tag, since the article deals with a number of issues aside from HR 1592. Since 1592 deals only with violent crime, limiting the article to that topic only leaves the wrong impression.
I have friends that are homosexuals, it disgusts me the way they live, but I still love them as human beings.
I also have friends that cheat on their taxes, gossip, don’t treat their bodies as God’s temple, lie and lose their temper (in fact, I myself might be guilty of some of those) - trouble is - I can’t seem to find perfect people to be friends with.
>>Portraying it as “Christian’s in the bull’s-eye” is a bit of a stretch, unless someone considers the KKK just a group of Christians. I can think of a particular religion known for religiously based violence, probably impact theme more.<<
You are right its a broader problem that just “Christian’s in the bull’s-eye” - if a state makes “hate crime” a felony and includes speech based charges then one could wind up with the power of the Federal government against you for saying something “homosexuality is wrong” or different races have different IQs”
Since there is already a Federal definition of “hate crime” that requires bodily injury we should at least limit Federal assistance to state cases that meet the Federal standard.
Its also gonna be tough if this goes through expanding the definition to include “perceived gender identity.” If I read that correctly, it could become criminal to call a man who thinks he is a woman by a male term instead of a female term.
Like McCain-Feingold.
We also need to stop allowing the gay agenda to control everything.
It will be back to the catacombs for practicing Christians!
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