Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.)
Posted on 10/10/2009 6:36:03 AM PDT by NYer
.- Following the U.S. House’s passage of hate crimes legislation attached to a military spending bill, critics have argued its provisions create “special rights” based on sexual behavior and could threaten religious freedom. They further charged that the provisions’ backers used the military as a “political tool” to achieve their goals.
The bill authorized $680 billion for the Defense Department, the Washington Post reports. It also contained a provision that would broaden the definition of federal hate crimes to include attacks based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
The legislation also created a new federal crime to cover attacks against U.S. military personnel because of their service.
A reported 281 congressmen voted in favor of the bill, with 146 opposed. Fifteen Democrats and 131 Republicans opposed the bill, which now pass the Senate before it is sent to President Barack Obama’s desk for his signature.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, charged in a Thursday statement that the hate crimes legislation was a “thought-crimes bill” that creates “special protection for a particular group” in violation of the principle of equal justice under the law.
“This measure is about giving special rights based solely on sexual behavior,” Perkins commented, praising congressmen who voted against the bill.
“All of our citizens deserve equal justice under the law. Do we somehow care less about victims violently assaulted in the act of robbery or during a personal dispute than we do about those assaulted because they belong in a federally designated, politically motivated category?”
Perkins also warned that the legislation may cause “serious infringements” of free speech rights.
“'Hate crime' legislation will lay the legal foundation and framework for investigating, prosecuting and persecuting pastors, business owners, and anyone else whose actions reflect their faith," he added.
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) in a Thursday statement criticized the legislation before it was passed by the House.
He charged that it treated U.S. military as a “political tool” and as “pack mules” to carry “a despicable and unconstitutional bill that penalizes thought and places a premium on some classes of individuals over others.”
“No American should be more protected from violent crime than another. All violent crimes demonstrate hate and all should be fully prosecuted,” Rep. Price added. “Justice should be blind, but Democrats have rejected the credo of our Founders that all people are created equal. This legislation will eventually invite the prosecution of Americans for their thoughts and religious beliefs, basic provinces protected by the First Amendment.”
Fine, then the Second Amendment, well exercised since the Obama freight train began rolling down the track, will be how we deal with them. It's what the second amendment is for. Still I hope we aren't forced into using it.
While that is indeed true, the provision making it a *federal* crime to kill or attempt to kill a person because of their *federal* status has some merit, although whether it's needed or not is another issue.
Not with equal justice under the law ... What will Dodomayor say.
So yo saying murder is more criminal under federal law?
This is exactly the kind of crap that causes us big trouble, divide and conquer. We don’t need protected species of people.
Equal is equal ...
He is exactly right. There is a reference to "gender identity" as being protected. We are either male or female, right? What other genders do people "identify" with? I guess if someone is a Semenya, we must learn to not offend....
It was tacked on to a military spending bill, if you can imagine that. It’s how they’re getting things done, you know, the “remaking” of AmeriKKKa.
You have way too much common sense and clear thinking for today’s world.
"the police said the campaigner had not behaved in a violent or aggressive manner, but that officers arrested him because he distributed fliers... that listed the medical dangers of homosexual behavior. He was charged with a "hate speech" violation of Canada's hate crimes law. Anil Pandila, ruled that Whatcott violated the ban on the publication and distribution of anything "that ridicules, belittles or otherwise affronts the dignity of any person on the basis of sexual orientation."... it did not matter whether the material was true or whether it reflected Whatcott's Christian beliefs"Surreal. This is not a slippery slope - it's more like pulling 12 G's in a nose dive!
Belittles? Ridicules? Affronts the dignity?
A cop, DA, and judge are going to make a determination on whether a leaflet with medical information is an affront to a homosexual's dignity at a friggin' Marti Gras parade where the more conservative gays wear a thong and bondage chains?
WOW!!! JUST WOW!!!???
I hope that every Christian minister preaches a sermon on this subject this Sunday. The enemy is united and on the attack and we have to also be united and ready to fight back.
This is yet another example of the Democrats spitting in the faces of our troops. This was nothing more than political blackmail, forcing the Republicans to choose between funding the military or passing an unconstitutional thought crime law. I hope that everyone in the military or anyone who has ever served, or any father, mother, brother, sister, wife, aunt, uncle or cousin of anyone who has ever served rememebers this and expresses their anger in the presence of all their family and friends. It is time to rip the hypocritical mask off the Democrats faces. They deserve nothing but scorn and political exile. Never forgive. Never forget.
They will say say this applies to the Military to not discriminate and VOILA...>PINK MILITARY.......it is DISGUSTING! Our once fine military will be no more.
Don’t answer a fool according to his folly (accepting his premise),
attack his premise.
There is no other goal of this legislation than to outlaw Christian beliefs and to use the power of the State to punish those who espouse them.
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