| Author |
Message |
    
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 5437
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 01:22 am: | 
|
Gohmert says hates crimes legislation is being advanced 'by people who don't understand the Christian heart'
By BOB DART
Cox News Service
Thursday, May 03, 2007
WASHINGTON — The White House threatened to veto a bill that passed the House Thursday to add gender and sexual orientation to categories such as race and religion that are protected under federal hate crimes law.
The legislation, which passed 237-180, is designed to help law enforcement officials investigate and prosecute cases by extending the legal definition of "hate crimes" to attacks committed because of a person's sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. The current hate crimes law applies to violent crimes committed against a person due to their race, color, national origin and religion.
"These crimes constitute an assault not only against the victim but against our communities," said Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and author of the bill. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the only openly gay House member, presided over the vote.
But the Bush administration issued a statement saying the measure is not needed and arbitrarily offers special protections to some Americans, such as gays, while leaving out other classes, such as the elderly and military personnel. If it passes the Senate, President Bush's "senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill," said a White House statement.
The bill, called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, thrusts the federal government into cases where a crime is alleged to have involved bias against gays, the disabled or women. Advocates said such federal involvement is needed in case a state or local law enforcement agency refused to prosecute such a "hate crime." But opponents said the law itself discriminates.
"Justice should be blind to the personal traits of victims," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee.
Under this bill, he noted, criminals who kill a transvestite would be punished more harshly than criminals who kill a police officer.
"This bill allows different penalties to be imposed for the same crime," said Smith. "We cannot legislate the hatred that some feel in their hearts. We need fewer labels and more unity in this country."
The legislation is also opposed by some black ministers, who said it could be used to punish them for preaching against the so-called sinfulness of homosexuality, lest their words lead to a member of their congregation committing a violent act against a gay person even though they did not advocate such an act.
"As an African American, I have long questioned the attempts of the homosexual community to piggyback on the legislative breakthroughs blacks have achieved in civil rights," said Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Washington, D.C. The legislation "will bring the threat of invasive, governmental interference with the doctrines and practice of the church."
"As some homosexual activists chant, 'Stay out of our bedrooms,' we are here to say 'Stay out of our pulpits,'" said Jackson, standing outside the Capitol with a half dozen other African American ministers.
The black preachers vowed to enlist their congregations in the opposition.
"We minister to millions in this country," said the Rev. Zachary Tims of New Destiny Christian Center Church in Apopka, Fla.
But Conyers said the bill specifically upholds the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. It "only applies to bias-motivated violent crimes and does not impinge of public speech, religious expression, or writing in any way," he said.
Gay rights supporters applauded the House passage and encouraged the Senate to act quickly.
The opposition has been "dirty and dishonest," said Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way, an advocacy group for liberal causes. "Anti-gay groups have unleashed a smear campaign based on false claims about threats to religious liberty ... It's appalling that the White House has allied itself with these groups."
"State laws are inadequate to respond to these crimes," said Jody Huckaby, executive director Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. She said that only 27 states and the District of Columbia have hate crimes laws inclusive of sexual orientation, and only five of those and D.C.'s specifically include transgender individuals. "We need an inclusive federal law that protects everybody. Now it is up to the Senate to make that happen."
"This is a historic day that moves all Americans closer to safety from the scourge of hate violence," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights advocacy group. Today, legislators sided with the 73 percent of the American people who support the expansion of hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity."
Opponents said the bill will have the effect of stifling sermons against homosexual practices.
The bill is "an effort to silence people who have religious beliefs to step forward and say something is wrong," said Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas.
Gohmert said the legislation is being advanced "by people who don't understand the Christian heart."
Christians believe you can love the sinner while hating the sin, he said. So ministers can preach against homosexuality while loving — not hating — gay people, he said.
The African American ministers vowed to lead their congregations in opposition.
"You're going to hear our voice. We're not going to be quiet," promised the Rev. Lyle Dukes of Harvest Life Church in Woodbridge, Va.
The bill also provides $10 million over the next two years to help state and local jurisdictions prosecute hate crimes under the expanded federal definitions.
Conyers said the FBI has documented that more than 113,000 of these hate-type crimes based on bias were committed since 1991, including 7,163 in 2005. In 2005, the FBI statistics showed, 55 percent of these crimes were based on race-related bias, 17 percent on religious bias, 14 percent on bias over sexual orientation and 13 percent on ethnicity or national origin.
http://www.lufkindailynews.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/05/04/hate_crimes. html |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4323
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 10:47 am: |
|
The legislation is also opposed by some black ministers, who said it could be used to punish them for preaching against the so-called sinfulness of homosexuality, lest their words lead to a member of their congregation committing a violent act against a gay person even though they did not advocate such an act.
(This ain't gonna happen and these chicken and biscuit eating Negroes know it. They probably got some money from white evangelicals and had to go out here and do something to work it off.
If it did, good. They could do many good works in jail, even as the Apostle Paul. |
|
Email This Page