And a good Thursday morning to all. I have mentioned previously the "Hate Crimes" bill the Defeatocrats want to pass, and now, get this
(CNSNews.com) – Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have scheduled a vote on a "hate crimes" bill for Thursday, which is also the National Day of Prayer. One conservative group called this an example of "in your face" politics against Christians in America – a charge strongly denied by the Democrats.
"There will be no shortage of things to pray for on this National Day of Prayer as the Congress takes a dark first step toward criminalizing public statements of sincerely held religious beliefs," Rev. Louis Sheldon, founder and chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, said in a news release.
"Homosexual extremists and their allies in the Congress have set out to rub the noses of religious citizens in their so-called hate crimes legislation, which repeals the rights of Christians to exercise their religion freely and in public," Sheldon stated.
First, we could have done without the "homosexual extremists" talk, though they are one group that is having protections extended to them, but the point is still valid regarding destroying 1st Amendment Rights for Christians to exercise their religious freedom.
Conservative Christian activists worry that the measure would give individuals who engage in homosexual behavior (sexual orientation) or cross dressers (gender identity) preferential treatment over other citizens by elevating them to a specially protected class.
"This so-called hate crimes bill begins to lay the legal foundation and framework to investigate, prosecute and persecute pastors, business owners and anyone else whose actions are based upon – and reflect – the truths found in the Bible," Sheldon said.
"No-one can tell me that the ‘original intent’ of America’s founders was to have the free exercise of religion regulated by secularists and their cohorts in the liberal and homosexual movements," Lafferty stated.
Many will look at this and go "oh, no, it is those right wing fundies mucking around in politics again." Nope, sorry, not the case. The bill will severely limit Christian religion speech. In my last post about it, I did not mention the religious aspect, choosing to, as I always have, keep my religion to myself. I am a very private person when it comes to certain subjects, only sharing with people I know. But, one of the aspects of the Bill is that it will damage religious free speech.
In effect, if Christians, and Muslims, preach about homosexuals and transgenders being sinful, they can be charged with a hate crime. No matter what your belief, this bill criminalizes thought. People are entitled to their beliefs, especially religious beliefs. While I take a live and let live stance regarding the people the bill wants to protect, the Constitution doesn’t mention them. It does mention religion.
Everyone should be treated equally under the law. There should be no protected classes. Is that not what the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution say?
Furthermore, nothing in the Declaration nor the Constitution restricts anyone from being an a**hole with their thoughts. And government should not be regulating thought. They are attempting to replace "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" with "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will get you sued and convicted of a crime."
Update: the bill passed 237-180. Waiting for the updates to see which Republicans are under delusions of liberal.
President Bush is expected to veto it.
Interestingly, while hunting to see if the roll call was listed yet, I ran across the fact that the Democrats aren’t really having the House work 5 days a week like they promised.
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