In what appears to mark the end of a years-long battle over homosexual hate crime legislation in America, the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday passed a law authorizing the federal government to intervene in violent crimes that appear motivated by hatred of homosexuals.
The hate crimes language passed in a 281-146 vote as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill, with 15 Democrats and 131 Republicans voting against the must-pass bill in apparent protest against the hate crime language.
The expanded hate crime legislation would extend special protection to victims of crime based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The measure is now poised to become law after final approval by the Senate. President Obama, as an avowed supporter of the homosexual lobby, is expected to sign the measure.
In April, the House approved similar language as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Act, but no legislation mirroring the act was approved by the Senate. Homosexual hate crimes legislation passed both House and Senate in 2007, but was vetoed by President Bush.
Conservative leaders condemned the new law and its mode of passage.
“This is radical social policy that is being put on the defense authorization bill, on the backs of our soldiers, because they probably can’t pass it on its own,” said House Republican leader John Boehner.
“As a strong supporter of our troops, and the father of three Marines, I will not allow myself to be blackmailed this way,” wrote Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) in a Townhall blog post.
Commenting on Thursday, Family Research President Tony Perkins called the legislation “a direct violation of the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause, since all violent crimes are hate crimes, and every victim is equally important.”
“This measure is about giving special rights based solely on sexual behavior,” he said.
Perkins also said that the law “sets us on a slippery slope toward serious infringements of the freedom of speech and freedom of religion.”
“‘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,” Perkins concluded.
Critics say the bill is apt to chill the free speech of those who voice a moral objection to homosexuality because, under federal law, individuals whose speech is seen to “aid and abet” a violent crime share in the guilt of that crime. While the House bill was changed to include more protection for the expression of Biblical perspectives on homoesxuality, conservative leaders said the gesture was deficient, with Family Research Council president Tom McClusky calling the last-minute alteration “pretty flimsy.”
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Controversial Homosexual “Hate Crimes” Act Set for Senate Vote Thursday
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jul/09071505.html
Free Speech Concerns Ignored as “Hate Crimes” Bill Passes Fed. Judiciary Committee
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09042407.html
October 14th, 2009 at 9:05 am
“” The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes. Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”" Romans 1:18-32
October 14th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Pray for our children because that, I’m afraid, is what they are after. Pray that Christ protects their little hearts and minds, so new and full of wonder. Pray that God takes them under His wings and shelters them from the moral decay all around us that threatens to invade their innocence. For the devil wants to destroy them… and then tell us we can not speak up in protest to say anything about it. St. Michael pray for us:
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host - by the Divine Power of God - cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Great. More federal power. Wonderful.