Free Republic

To Hate or Not to Hate? by: Bethany Stotts, May 20, 2008 With the Sean Bell and Rodney King scandals elevating public concern about racially-motivated violence, support for federal hate-crimes legislation has intensified. Some scholars worry that such proposals use dangerously vague language. “One thing you have to keep in mind with the hate-crimes statute is that it is drafted extremely broadly. You hear it referred to as a ‘hate crime’ statute—it is therefore natural to believe it must require hatred. It does not,” argued Professor Gail Heriot. She believes that H.R. 1592 masks lawmakers’ long-standing desire to radically expand...

WASHINGTON -- A group of Memphis pastors is encouraging people to call and write the offices of U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., and other supporters of a hate crimes bill they believe restricts their right to preach against homosexuality. The bill, which has already passed the House, provides federal assistance to local law enforcement to prosecute hate crimes. It is expected to come up for a Senate vote this week. "It's a very hot potato," said the Rev. Chester Berryhill of the New Philadelphia Baptist Church near Poplar and Mendenhall. "This thing is bigger than the issue of abortion or...

Would hold US troops fighting "War on Terror" as hostages in exchange for sweeping "hate crimes" legislation WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Senate Democrats will hold US troops fighting the "War on Terror" as hostages in exchange for sweeping "hate crimes" legislation if the Senate votes this week, perhaps as early as Monday, to include it in the defense spending bill. Instead of introducing the legislation giving sexual orientation "hate crimes" protection as a separate bill, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) opted to introduce the "Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act" as...

H.R. 1592 Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 Background/Commentary: The proponents of this legislation have bluntly stated that it will make homosexuals a protected class in the U.S.. In some regards, they may be right. As an example, if a John Doe is assaulted, it is simple assault. But if John Doe is gay, the perpetrator could face additional charges, possibly federal ones at that, for the assault. Will such legalisms promote civil lawsuits and blackmail? Will protected groups have a legal trump card to play on assaults, altercations or arguments that were for reasons other...

A bill in Congress makes it a crime for pastors and churches to speak against homosexuality If pastors and other Christians don’t aggressively oppose a bill now in Congress, in the near future they will be subject to huge fines and prison terms if they say anything negative about homosexuality. The proposed law would make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6. Or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class. If churches and individuals want to keep the government from telling them what they can and cannot preach and teach about...

Dear Anonymous, If pastors and other Christians don’t aggressively oppose a bill now in Congress, in the near future they will be subject to huge fines and prison terms if they say anything negative about homosexuality. The proposed law would make it a crime to preach on Romans Chapter 1 or I Corinthians Chapter 6. Or even to discuss them in a Sunday School class. If churches and individuals want to keep the government from telling them what they can and cannot preach and teach about homosexuality, they better get involved now! House bill H.R. 1592 and Senate bill S....

On Thursday, May 3, the House of Representatives voted 237 to 180 to dramatically expand the federal hate crime law to include violence against a person because of his or her actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. With the passage of H.R. 1592, and the likely passage of a similar Senate bill within weeks, Americans are facing the hate crime legislation that would effectively regulate speech, tampering with the bedrock liberties in our democracy of free speech and religious liberty. In the aftermath of the House vote several arguments have been advanced opposing hate crime legislation. Some, like...

"Fortunately, President Bush has pledged to veto HR 1592. Of course, I would vote to uphold the president’s veto." - Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX)May 7, 2007 Last week, the House of Representatives acted with disdain for the Constitution and individual liberty by passing HR 1592, a bill creating new federal programs to combat so-called “hate crimes.” The legislation defines a hate crime as an act of violence committed against an individual because of the victim’s race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Federal hate crime laws violate the Tenth Amendment’s limitations on federal power. Hate crime...

Unconstitutional Legislation Threatens Freedoms by Ron Paul Last week, the House of Representatives acted with disdain for the Constitution and individual liberty by passing HR 1592, a bill creating new federal programs to combat so-called “hate crimes.” The legislation defines a hate crime as an act of violence committed against an individual because of the victim’s race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Federal hate crime laws violate the Tenth Amendment’s limitations on federal power. Hate crime laws may also violate the First Amendment guaranteed freedom of speech and religion by criminalizing speech federal bureaucrats define...

Homosexual acts are a moral aberration, yet the drive to have them accepted as normal by society continues full steam ahead. Egregious recent examples can be found in two bills under consideration in Congress which would grant special privilege to those embracing the homosexual lifestyle, and intimidate and punish those citizens whose values and principles are opposed to the moral revolution advocated by the homosexual movement. The first bill is H.R. 2015, known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007; the second is H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. "Sexual Orientation," a Set of...

Homosexual acts are a moral aberration, yet the drive to have them accepted as normal by society continues full steam ahead.  Egregious recent examples can be found in two bills under consideration in Congress which would grant special privilege to those embracing the homosexual lifestyle, and intimidate and punish those citizens whose values and principles are opposed to the moral revolution advocated by the homosexual movement.The first bill is H.R. 2015, known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007; the second is H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007."Sexual Orientation," a Set of Norms Linked...

Is it the letter or spirit of the law? What about when you can't figure out either the letter or spirit of the law? I've read the text of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1592, which passed the U.S. House yesterday. I'm not a legal expert, but the bill seems to codify the concept "race" -- i.e., "members of certain religious and national origin groups were and are perceived to be distinct 'races'." H.R. 1592 also specifies that a hate crime can be prosecuted on the basis of the victim's "real or perceived" race, "whether or...

ADF President Alan Sears commends President Bush for promise to veto “hate crimes” legislation White House states that legislation is unnecessary and constitutionally questionable Thursday, May 03, 2007, 10:16 AM (MST) | ADF Media Relations | 480-444-0020 Comments SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Alliance Defense Fund President, CEO, and General Counsel Alan Sears commended President Bush Thursday for his promise to veto H.R. 1592, the federal “hate” crimes legislation, if it reaches his desk. “All violent crimes are ‘hate’ crimes, and all crime victims deserve equal justice under the law,” said Sears. “The president rightly recognized that this bill was not only...

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A proposed "hate crimes" law that would impose special federal penalties against crimes related to sexual orientation is being denounced as a serious risk to freedom of religion in the US, as Congress prepares to vote on the measure. Passed by the House Judiciary Committee last week, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would give special considerations to "hate crimes" committed against those engaging in homosexual activity and people who consider themselves transgendered or bisexual. Dr. James Dobson,  founder of Focus on the Family Action, told CitizenLink the bill's backers are...

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Just hours after the White House issued a veto threat Thursday, the House voted to add gender and sexual orientation to the categories covered by federal hate crimes law. The House legislation, passed 237-180, also makes it easier for federal law enforcement to take part in or assist local prosecutions involving bias-motivated attacks. Similar legislation is also moving through the Senate, setting the stage for another veto showdown with President Bush. "This is an important vote of conscience, of a statement of what America is, a society that understands that we accept differences," said House Majority Leader...

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Executive Office of the President has issued a statement promising to veto "hate crimes" bill H.R. 1592 should it be approved in Congress today. Concerned Women for America, one of the leading groups fighting the legislation praised the President's move. "We thank President Bush for honoring our nation's constitutional tradition of equal protection under the law," said Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues at Concerned Women for America. The text of the statement follows form the executive office follows: "The Administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on...

(CNSNews.com) - President Bush looks likely to veto a "hate crimes" bill under debate in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday if it is approved by Congress. Conservatives quickly responded by thanking the president for upholding "our nation's constitutional tradition of equal protection under the law." "The administration favors strong criminal penalties for violent crime, including crime based on personal characteristics, such as race, color, religion or national origin," according to a statement released by the Executive Office of the President. "However, the administration believes that H.R. 1592 is unnecessary and constitutionally questionable," the release stated. "If H.R. 1592...

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would punish offenders more severely if a criminal assault or murder could be proven to have been motivated by the attackers alleged hatred for the victim because of the victim's "sexual orientation," though that term is not defined in the legislation. advertisement A news release from the Family Research Council (FRC) called the legislation "a direct violation of the 14th Amendment which affords equal protection under the law." Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, top Republican on the Judiciary Committee agreed. "Our criminal justice system has been built on the ideal of...

Bill went to debate April 30th and is scheduled for a vote in the House tomorro, Thursday.

<p>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.</p> <p>"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.</p>