HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION BACK

Hardhitting Patriot Preacher Warns Of Fresh Threat From New Congress

By John Tiffany

On Jan. 5, liberal Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (DTexas) reintroduced so-called “hate crimes” legislation in Congress. The bill is numbered H.R. 254. “Hate” crimes laws—the brainchild of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B’nai B’rith—are found in states and locales across America, but this new measure in Congress would enact a federal hate crime statute.

Essentially, hate crimes laws would add additional criminal penalties upon anyone convicted of a crime against an individual when that crime, according to the proposed legislation, is “motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability of the victim.”

In short, although there are already laws against shooting someone and killing them—it’s called murder—if a perpetrator is found to have committed that crime because of an alleged bias against the victim, it would now be considered a federal crime because of that bias. There will be at least an additional 10 year federal penalty applied, even if— for example—someone only punched another person. If death results in the course of such a so-called “hate” crime being committed, a life sentence in prison is provided for under this federal legislation.

This is “thought control” legislation and a piece of police-state-style social engineering disguised in the mask of “fighting hate.” And it constitutes not just a toe in the door, but a veritable jackboot, for, in other countries where the ADL and its allied groups have forced the enactment of hate crimes laws, legislation outlawing even criticism of minorities has traditionally followed.

The new hate crimes measure is entitled “The David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act”—or, as it’s being popularly called by its proponents, “David’s Law.” The law is named in memory of a young man who was brutally murdered, sodomized with a lead pipe by his attacker who apparently committed the crime against Ray because Ray was a homosexual.

A hate crimes measure was approved by the House of Representatives in the previous Congress, despite the fact that Republicans were in control of the House at that time. And what many do not realize is that the single use of a racial pejorative, for example, such as the so-called “n” word, can be construed as “evidence” of a “hate” crime, even though nasty words are often traded by people engaged in simple fisticuffs.

Or, if a black youth, fighting in the street with a Latino schoolmate, used a racial slur offensive to Latinos, that black youth could be held responsible for a federal “hate” crime if he struck the Latino in the course of using the inappropriate slur.

Rev. Ted Pike, who has been spearheading opposition to the federal hate crimes laws—and who has done so successfully in the past—points out that, in other countries, socalled hate crimes legislation has been the toe in the doorway for additional “thought control” legislation aimed at limiting freedom of speech in general.

For example, if an individual, citing Biblical exhortations against homosexuality, is found to have offended the sensibilities of homosexuals, then that person may be punished for having done so. This is happening today in Canada, in France and in any number of other countries where “antihate” legislation is in force. Or, if someone criticizes the policies of the Anti-Defamation League or the state of Israel, they may be found to have offended Jewish supporters of Israel and therefore punished for having done so.

The fact that Arab-American organizations have repeatedly joined the ADL-led chorus demanding hate-crimes legislation in America is rather thought-provoking, considering the fact that Arab Americans who frequently criticize Israel would be among the first targeted by the kind of thought control legislation that has traditionally come in the wake of the kind of “hate crimes” legislation that the ADL is now trying to have enacted at the federal level in the United States.

Now, in the judgment of Pike, because the Democrats are in control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, there will be an even greater push to get the legislation enacted.

That’s why Pike is urging those who oppose this insidious legislation to redouble their efforts to block H.R. 254 so that it never reaches the floor of the House. H.R. 254 has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, and Pike suggests that people contact all members of the committee and urge that they oppose the legislation.

Pike suggests that you keep your message short and to the point: “Please don’t vote for the David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R.254. Hate laws have taken away free speech in Canada and many European countries.”

You can write all of the representatives in question (as well as your own representative and every member of the House) in care of the following general address: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. To telephone members of the House, you may use the regular number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 1-(202) 224-3121. Or there is a toll free number you may use: 1-877-851-6437.

(Issue #8, February 19, 2007)