AFA ENTERS HATE BILL FIGHT!
By Rev. Ted Pike
14 Apr 09
One of the largest evangelical political activist groups has
now come out to oppose the dangerous federal hate crimes bill, HR 1913.
The American Family Association’s website protests this bill
at the top of its action alerts! AFA has potent internet and publishing
resources and owns a network of 180 radio stations in 28 states. It
has mustered more than a million communications to Congress on red-hot
issues.
This organization may begin much needed reinforcement of those Americans—mostly
followers of alternative and “far-right” media—who doggedly
protested the freedom-stealing hate bills introduced into the House Judiciary
Committee.
During the last three months, Christian conservative leaders have been mysteriously
silent about HR 1913. Yet with WorldNetDaily’s April 2 article against
it, and strong alerts from Traditional Values Coalition, the Christian right
may be waking to the hate bill battle.
Why have evangelical leaders been so slow to respond? Tony Perkins, head of Family
Research Council, provided a clue. In a recent, veiled reference to a hate bill
in Congress, Perkins says his organization will work with Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell to muster the 40 votes necessary to filibuster and kill the hate
bill in the Senate.
Why wait? Have conservative leaders, considering the overwhelming support for
hate laws in the House of Representatives, decided to save their efforts for
later protest in the Senate? Do they simply want to wait until Congress reconvenes
in 10 days? Or do they think the hate bills are not a present threat with Obama's
hands full of the financial crisis?
Consider the first possibility. Should we wait and let the hate bill pass the
House - pinning our hope on behind-the-scenes deliverance from Republican Senators?
A lot can go wrong if we trust that strategy. On May 4, 2007, hate bill HR 1592
passed the House by a huge margin. Still evangelical watchdogs were confident
that many feisty Republican Senators would battle it later on the Senate floor.
Tony Perkins predicted a tremendous row to block hate bill passage. The exact
opposite happened on September 26, 2007 when Senator Kennedy’s hate bill
was opened for debate. Most Republican Senators were silent! The next day, Kennedy’s
hate bill passed… by one vote.
In the weeks before, conservative leaders sounded no alarms or calls to action
on the airways or internet. (The only exception – by Traditional Values
Coalition – occurred the very morning the hate bill passed!) This is documented
in my video Betrayed:
How New Right Leaders Helped Pass the Hate Bill. (Watch in the NPN
Theater at truthtellers.org) Also, read articles surrounding September
26, 2007 archived at www.truthtellers.org.
When the hate bill passed, I felt as if a limb had been amputated from my body.
Learn from Our Mistakes
We already have the advantage of discovering that Conyers' hate bill
was quietly introduced just before spring recess of Congress
-- not after, as Conyers had planned. All Christian leadership groups
should now forget clever “strategy” and immerse Congress
in protest. If Democrat House Judiciary members return April 20 to
tallies of calls packed with hate bill protest, they will be powerfully
daunted from moving Conyers’ bill forward. When they hear the
same thing is happening in the Senate, they will be even more intimidated.
Democrats know approval of HR 1913 is a near certainty in the House. What they
absolutely don’t want to happen is that, by delivering an approved hate
bill to the Senate, they will make possible defeat of the hate bill there --
a distinct possibility. Contrary to the House, only several Democrats who defect
and join Republican opposition could mean hate bill defeat.
It's time for Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women
for America, and other watchdog groups to join NPN, WorldNetDaily, AFA, and
TVC in sounding the alarm. They must provide the title and bill number of the Local
Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (something FRC has not done)
and adequately describe its sinister content. Such protest now could
stall HR 1913 and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee’s HR 262 in the House Judiciary.
With Pres. Obama preoccupied with the economic crisis, he may not be in a mood
to push pro-homosexual, anti-Christian legislation. He needs all possible friends
and probably has the sense to not unnecessarily antagonize the religious right.
His mood could change drastically in the months ahead. Now is the time to convince
House Judiciary Democrats that the hate bills, including ENDA, are not a
viable option this Congress.
Call your House and Senate members NOW toll-free at 1-877-851-6437 or toll
1-202-225-3121. Tell them, "Please don't vote for Rep. Conyers' very dangerous
hate crimes bill, HR 1913." Also, ask staffers to watch the powerful
10-minute videos on the homepage at www.truthtellers.org which explain what
is so threatening about Conyers' bill.
Two years ago, God gave America a second chance and allowed the hate bill to
be defeated. Miraculously, it failed to obtain final approval in the House.
There is no guarantee He will do so again. We cannot blindly follow those whose
record on this issue is inattention, lack of imagination, silence, and failure.
Watch the dynamic 10-minute educational video How to Kill the
Hate Bills at www.truthtellers.org which
explains how the two hate bills, HR256 and HR262, threaten freedom.
Please tell the offices of members of Congress to watch it! Also
at www.truthtellers.org, watch our gripping 82-minute documentary Hate
Laws: Making Criminals of Christians.
Let the Anti-Defamation League teach you how they have saddled 45 states with
hate laws capable of persecuting Christians, and spearhead attempts to pass the
federal hate crimes bill: http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp.
TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on this subject. Call
(503) 631-3808.
National Prayer Network, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas,
OR 97015
