Posted on 10/20/2009 4:29:52 PM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner
Your Concerns From: Senator Roland Burris
Dear [Forgiven Sinner]:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Senator Leahy Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1390) regarding hate crime legislation.
Current law defines hate crime as any crime against either person or property in which the offender intentionally selects the victim because of the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, or disability. Currently, hate crimes are not distinct offenses under federal law; rather, they are crimes that are committed by individuals who are motivated by one or more biases that are considered to be damaging to society as a whole.
I believe that hate crimes are fundamentally different from other offenses. Hate crimes are often not limited to the specific victim, but are committed with the intention of inspiring fear in a larger group. For this reason, I feel it is appropriate to enact federal legislation that deals separately with hate crimes. While I understand the concern over federal hate crime legislation infringing on freedom of speech, I believe that this legislation will not obstruct citizens from expressing their religious or political views unless such expression involves acts of physical violence. For these reasons, and in the interests of providing protection to American citizens and soon as possible, this amendment and related second degree amendments were successfully placed on the National Defense Authorization Act.
The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909) supports existing local efforts to combat discrimination while preserving our nation’s strong heritage of religious expression and racial diversity. In short, those who seek to intimidate or threaten a specific social group with acts of violence will be held responsible under Federal law.
I will continue to listen closely to what you and other Illinoisans have to say about matters before Congress, the concerns of our communities, and the issues facing Illinois and the nation. My job is not about merely supporting or opposing legislation; it is also about bridging the divide that has paralyzed our nation's politics.
Sincerely,
Roland W. Burris United States Senator
Even given his rationale, that a hate crime hurts a whole group, does not justify restrictions on freedom of speech.
And I don't believe his rationale.
What’s another violation of the Constitution to these wastes of meat?
The fact is that speech amounting to “incitement to violence” has always been subject to criminal prosecution under English, American, and (until recently) Canadian common law. The interpretation of freedom of speech as cited in the second amendment has always been consistent with this.
Nevertheless, expressing religious or or political IDEAS critical of any of the groups who are protected by the current “political correctness” culture will subject to prosecution under hate crime legislation. The rational for this are that such ideas potentially might incite violence against ethnic, gender, or religious minorities who the law considers to be “oppressed”.
” I believe that (Hate Crime) legislation will not obstruct citizens from expressing their religious or political views unless such expression involves acts of physical violence”
Yes it will, because “hate crime” legislation would consider “potentially inciteful” religious or political views involving “oppressed groups” to be illegal.
Here’s an example of hate crimes legislation in action.
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