Storm Clouds of Hate Crimes Loom

By Doug Carlson - Apr 21, 2009 - 4

April showers bring May flowers, so goes the familiar saying. But the storm clouds of hate crimes legislation in Congress are also in this month’s forecast, a looming threat that could damage America’s religious liberty landscape for years to come.

Fresh from a spring recess, the House Judiciary Committee is slated to consider the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913) on Wednesday. What may sound like an innocent measure to crack down on crime is in fact the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The bill would grant special legal protections to individuals based on their “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.” More specifically, the motivation of a crime assumed to be based on prejudice against individuals with these characteristics—whether “actual or perceived”—would become punishable as a federal crime.

Enter the thought police. Prosecutors and judges would try to determine the thoughts behind crimes against the broadly defined groups. This could turn into a judicial circus, except few would be laughing. The American Psychiatric Association’s list of sexual orientations now numbers 30, and the term “gender identity” could be interpreted to mean a number of things.

And punishment likely would not be limited to those who commit the violent crimes. Conceivably, a pastor who preaches against homosexuality could be prosecuted if one of his church members or someone who hears the message on the radio later commits a violent crime against a homosexual. His charge: “incitement” of a hate crime. Sunday school teachers and others who express their convictions on homosexuality could face such punishment as well. This would have a chilling effect on the proclamation of biblical truths.

There is simply no credible basis for such a law. All crimes are rooted in hate, and already punishable by law in all 50 states. Granting special protections to a group of people based on their lifestyle—in this case homosexuality or some other variant sexual orientation—would turn the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment on its head.

Both the House and Senate passed hate crimes legislation in the previous Congress, though it never reached President Bush for signing. This time, with a liberal-controlled Congress and President Obama in the White House, the bill will prove difficult to stop. Yet the potential erosion of religious liberty and the special protected status conferred under a hate crimes law demands our every effort to press for the bill’s defeat.

If you agree, please contact your representative and tell him or her to oppose H.R. 1913, or any hate crimes bill. Please also contact the Judiciary Committee at (202) 225-3951, especially if your representative serves on the committee.

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Sexual Purity, Homosexuality, Citizenship, , Legislation, Religious Liberty

comments

1 On Apr 21st, 2009, at 3:54pm, Joseph Dufner wrote:

Jesus told his disciples that they would be persucated, beaten,and arrested. I quess it our time to stand up and be counted.  This may well separate the shepherds from the heirlings.

2 On Apr 22nd, 2009, at 8:09pm, Peter Krane wrote:

I find myself quite confused by your argument. Do you believe that the word of God can be so misinterpreted as to lead us to kill or injure our fellow sheep in God’s flock? If such is the case, I feel you severely under estimate our ministers. Furthermore, I find it convenient, that you failed to mention the unofficial name of the act, the Matthew Shepard Act. I assume making it personal, would damage your argument.

3 On Apr 23rd, 2009, at 11:54am, tim davis wrote:

i fell to see how the act being named “the matthew shepard act” changes the fact that this act would criminalize individuals based on their thought. i believe only GOD can do that. also, i don’t believe the crime against matthew shepard was proven to have been based on his lifestyle choices. furthermore, i believe you have made an aggregious, falacious, mean-spirited, unfounded, ungodly, unloving, hateful charge that ,if the “matthew shepard act” where to be passed you would be convicted for your statement and thoughts. however, this would also be unjustly applied, even toward you mr. krane. therefore mr krane i hope you can see that this act if passed would be unconstitutional special rights based on the gender an individual decides to have sex with.

4 On Apr 24th, 2009, at 9:36pm, Peter Krane wrote:

Mr. Davis, for the duration of my experience in the courts, I have never come across a case in which an individual was being charged for their “thought.” First and foremost, “thought” is speculation and is not admissible under the federal rules of evidence. Second, your ignorant characterization of my statements as “ungodly” is wholly unwarranted; furthermore, half of my statements was a question, which unsurprisingly you made no attempt to address. I was raised on the belief that GOD LOVES ALL OF HIS CHILDREN, and I am severely skeptical of how a ministers sermons could be misconstrued as to say anything to the contrary. Hate is a despicable trait of the human race, a trait that should be repressed and routed out of society. I pray to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and ask HIM to watch over all of my brother and sisters, and show them the way to heaven. Our GOD IS AN AWESOME and ALL-LOVING GOD, and I have never heard any one in my congregation preach anything to the contrary.

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