ADL BATTLES INTERNET FREE SPEECH
By Rev. Ted Pike
28 Nov 07
Canadian hate laws are now hitting their
intended target: Christianity.
On Oct. 26 a 21-year-old Canadian woman, Jessica Beaumont, was
fined $1500 for posting online two Bible verses critical of homosexuality.
She was also required to pay $3000 to professional complainer Richard
Warman who brought charges against her. Her crime? She derisively
called him "a Jew."
Jessica posted these verses, which, of course, could be found on
any Bible website: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a
woman; that is detestable." (Lev.18:22) "If a man lies
with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what
is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on
their heads." (Lev. 20:13)
The court ruled:
"Ms. Beaumont claimed, during her testimony, that she based
this comment on her interpretation of a passage in the Bible, adding
that she did not care if Jews would be offended by her ideas. However,
irrespective of whether she 'cares' or not, s.13 of the Act dictates
that the repeated communication via the internet of matter that is
likely to expose targeted groups to hatred or contempt constitutes
a discriminatory practice. Whether the person communicating
the matter was in fact its author is immaterial. The mere act
of communicating the material or causing its communication attracts
liability under this Act." 1
Beaumont was ordered to never again post Scripture critical of
homosexuals or any other specially protected group, including Jews.
She faces prison if she disobeys.
Jessica claims Nazi sympathies. Yet that should not distract us
from the fact that Bible verses caused her conviction. As the world
moves toward hate crimes persecution, hate law enforcers usually
select victims with extremist views. They know society will not help
these people but will probably rejoice at their conviction! But
the free speech rights of every person are diminished by the legal
precedents meted against extremists.
Persecution of Biblically based "hate" (i.e., Christianity)
is the ultimate goal of B’nai B’rith Canada and the Canadian
Jewish Congress, creators of Canada 's federal hate crime law in
1971. In Canada , these extensions of ADL possess a powerful tool:
federal law banning internet criticism of Jews and homosexuals. Section
13.1 outlaws communications "likely" to incite hatred or
contempt of members of a federally protected group. ADL possesses
similar statutory tools banning "cyberhate" in most European
countries.
Strategies to End Internet Freedom
But in the U.S. , ADL faces stiff First Amendment opposition to
censorship. Here they try other strategies to end free speech in
America :
1. ADL puts pressure on search engines like Google to filter
out websites which criticize Zionism or homosexuality. So far,
it has not succeeded. Recently, Google's Israeli representative, Meir
Brand, flatly repulsed ADL requests to ban internet criticism
of Zionism. (link to article) ADL has been similarly rebuffed in
the United States . This means scores of videos critical
of Zionism and homosexuality, including my four, still bring light
via the internet into encroaching darkness.
2. Many teens using the internet are victims of online bullies.
ADL wants to create a false mental link between "cyber-bullying" and
hate speech. Through its new
program against online bullying, ADL feigns compassion for
these young people. What ADL really wants is to link cyber-bullying
with cyberhate and gain power to advise government on “protecting” vulnerable
teens from criticism of Israel, Jewish control of media or the
accuracy of the six-million figure of Holocaust dead.
3. Through privatizing the internet, cable and phone companies
sympathetic to ADL may be able to discriminate against, and ultimately
help eliminate, “hate sites.” These companies include
Verizon and Comcast, headed respectively by ADL/Zionist sympathizers
Ivan Seidenburg and Brian Roberts. Jewish recipients of ADL/Wiesenthal "tolerance” awards,
they could provide a form of censorship without legislation. (See, Threats
to a Free Internet).
4. ADL wants to re-define internet free speech as "home-grown
terrorism." Already, the U.S. House of Representatives passed
H.R.1955, designed to set up a federal commission to "eradicate" the "cyber-terrorism" which
this bill alleges “streams” from the internet. This primarily
alludes to anti-Zionist alternative internet talk radio. The federal
commission, if approved by the Senate and the President, will construe
politically incorrect speech on the internet as words that hurt,
i.e., "verbal violence.” H.R. 1955 says this speech incites
extremists to "radicalization," i.e., acts of violence.
Ultimately, as in Canada , such expression, in order to be prosecuted,
need only be thought "likely" to cause intimidation of
members of federally protected groups. (See, In
Search of 'Homegrown Terrorists')
5. ADL also considers massive propaganda against critics of
Israel or homosexuality as a weapon against “cyberhate.” Some
ADL cyber-experts, such as Christopher Wolf, head of INACH (ADL's
worldwide "Institute against Cyberhate"), believe education
against homophobia and anti-Semitism is the best solution. We should
remember that, as we are seeing in Canada , it is not skinheads
and Nazis whom the ADL really deplores; it is evangelical Christians.
ADL has already smeared Traditional Values Coalition as hateful
and implies
that other new right websites, such as Focus on the Family
and Family Research Council, which "portray gays and lesbians as
subhuman in the guise of promoting so-called 'family values' …” should
be removed from the internet.
By far, ADL's greatest hope for ending free speech on the Internet
is the federal hate crimes bill, now passed by both houses of Congress
and awaiting approval or veto by Pres. Bush.
In Canada , ADL/B'nai B'rith persuaded Parliament to pass their
hate bill in 1971. It was a small matter a few years later,
with arrival of the internet, to also pass Section 13.1, extending
it to internet control. The same will happen here if the hate
bill becomes law.
Ray of Hope
With both Republicans and Democrats dissatisfied with the National
Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 1585, to which the hate bill is
attached, there is a growing inclination within Congress to reject
this arms bill and create a new one after the first of the year.
(See, article
by Lou Chibbaro Jr.) Then the hate bill, either as an amendment
or on its own, would probably have to be approved again by Congress.
Such approval is certain if new right leaders and the American
people remain confident of a Presidential veto and do as little as
they did to protest hate bill passage by the Senate on Sept. 27.
(Watch Pike's Video Report Betrayed:
How New Right Leaders Helped Pass the Hate Bill) Yet if we learn
from our mistake and demand the arms and hate bill be voted down,
we may yet redeem this second chance to save freedom.
It is unbelievable how close we are to losing liberty! The
hate bill, as no other legislation in American history, will accomplish
that. Since the arms bill may be overdue five months or longer,
primarily through Democratic opposition, this will almost certainly
require Pres. Bush, desperate to supply funds for the military, to
cancel his promise to veto the hate bill. This
means that right now we have no real hope of a Presidential veto.
It is up to you and me, not the President, to save freedom. Call
your members of the Senate and House immediately saying: Please reject
the National Defense Appropriations Act, HR 1585, with hate bill
attached. Don’t vote for any hate crimes legislation.
And, of course, call to God. We face sinister and devious
political maneuvers from Democratic leaders which could yet make
possible hate bill passage. But God is ready and willing to help
save America . That is, if enough Americans are ready and willing
to turn from sin and trust in His mercies.
Endnotes:
1. CRHT Decision: Warman vs. Beaumont , October 26, 2007 , Para.68,
cited in “Free Speech Monitor” from Canadian Association
for Free Expression Inc., http://café.canadafirst.net,
PH: (905) 274-3868
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
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