COULD THE FEDERAL HATE BILL REVIVE?
By Rev. Ted Pike
10 Sep 08
Could the federal hate crimes bill be passed in the remaining
months of this Congress? Matt Staver, head of Liberty Counsel,
thinks so. He says:
With Congress back in session, we are bracing for the homosexual
lobby to push for passage of anti-faith "hate crimes" legislation.
My Capitol Hill staff has warned me that the hate crimes language
could be added to the Defense Appropriations Bill any day. If this
happens, we could have less than 72 hours to stop the amendment
before final passage.
Staver's concern is justified. According to the August 22nd Washington
Blade, “Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), a lead sponsor of the bill
in the House, has called on the Senate to pass the measure this year
as a freestanding bill…” Frank, a homosexual, is as
much a bellwether of pro-homosexual legislative trends in the House,
as is Sen. Edward Kennedy in the Senate.
In 2007, The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed
both houses of Congress, first as a freestanding bill in the House,
then as Kennedy's amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill in
the Senate. Two
months later, 77 Democrats were angry that the defense bill did not
require withdrawal from Iraq; they refused to give it final House/Senate
approval, even though their cherished hate bill was attached. They
joined 180 Republicans in protest. Leading Democrats jettisoned Kennedy's
hate crimes amendment from the arms bill; the hate bill floundered.
(See, Unsung
Heroes of Hate Bill Defeat)
Yet the hate bill is not officially dead until the new Congress
is seated in January 2009. If those 77 dissenting Democrats return
to the fold, the hate bill could go forward.
Here is my best guess as to how that might happen: as Barney Frank
recommends, objections of the 77 renegade Democrats could be overcome
simply by putting the hate bill forward in the Senate as freestanding
legislation (not related to their quarrel with the arms bill). Since
Kennedy is the bill's sponsor, he could do this any time he wants,
demanding a roll call vote from Senators. Will they be moved to honor
the cancer-stricken "lion of the Senate" by finally passing
one of his most cherished pieces of legislation?
How Kennedy was Blocked in 2007
In mid-September 2007, while the evangelical right was asleep to
the hate bill threat (confident that Pres. Bush would veto it), Sen.
Ted Kennedy boldly asked the Senate to pass his hate bill amendment
without discussion. Guess who leapt to his feet to block him?
Sen. John McCain. (See, Kennedy
Introduces Hate Bill in Senate!)
Sen. McCain, despite many imperfections, has always opposed the
federal hate bill - as much as Barack Obama has supported it.
Let's not Take Chances
We do not yet have definitive evidence. Yet, considering this bill's
staggering potential to destroy freedom, it is best to err on the
side of caution.
Lovers of freedom, call Sen. McCain's office and encourage him
to vocally oppose possible reintroduction of the hate bill. Also,
call your Senators of both parties. The Democrats must be served
notice that if they try to sneak their pro-homosexual hate bill through,
the American people, and possibly Sen. McCain, will vocally tarnish
their "family values" charade in the critical last weeks
before election.
Your Senators are listed at www.truthtellers.org/senatorstaff.html.
Let them know you will not tolerate last-minute resuscitation of
this freedom-stealing legislation. It was killed last year
and should stay dead forever!
TAKE ACTION! Call 1-877-851-6437 toll free or 1-202-225-3121
toll.
Tell your Senators and John McCain: "Please reject any attempt
to revive the federal hate crimes bill. Similar legislation
has taken away free speech in Canada and many other countries."
Rev. Ted Pike is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative
watchdog organization.
Let the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith teach you how they
have saddled 45 states with hate laws capable of persecuting Christians: http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp.
Learn how ADL took away free speech in Canada and wants to steal
it now in the U.S. Congress. Watch Rev. Ted Pike's Hate
Laws: Making Criminals of Christians at video.google.com.
Purchase this gripping documentary to show at church. Order online
at www.truthtellers.org for
$24.90, DVD or VHS, by calling 503-853-3688, or at the address below.
TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on this
topic. Call (503) 631-3808.
National Prayer Network, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas,
OR 97015
