So remember that video I showed you a few weeks back of Mike Pence criticizing the hate crime legislation that was attached to a defense spending bill? Well, here’s a great write-up about what a huge pile of crap that is, and how inappropriate it was for Democrats to include it in a bill meant for our military.
Obama signed the bill this past Wednesday, you guys. It’s a done deal. Gay and transgendered people are now a specially protected class, which allows the Justice Dept to prosecute any violence against them based on their gayness or transgenderedness. If you’re straight and viciously attacked? Same old same old. But if you’re gay or transgendered, then you’re apparently extra important and warrant extra super double secret prosecution of your attacker.
The Family Research Council President, Tony Perkins summarized it well (bolding is mine): “Today, President Obama signed into law the so-called ‘hate crimes’ bill which violates the principle of equal justice under the law and threatens to infringe on the free speech rights of the American people. All violent crimes are hate crimes, and every victim is equally important. President Obama’s decision today fails to recognize that all of our citizens deserve equal justice under the law.”
The law itself is incredibly offensive, but made even MORE offensive by the fact that it was slipped into a defense authorization bill. Pence said, “Today, the president of the United States put his liberal social priorities ahead of an unambiguous affirmation of our men and women in uniform. Every day, our armed forces stand in defense of freedom and our cherished way of life. It is deeply offensive to their service and to millions of Americans to pile so-called ‘hate crimes’ legislation onto a bill that authorizes critical resources for our troops. Hate crimes legislation is antithetical to the First Amendment, unnecessary and will have a chilling effect on religious freedom.”
Perkins described the bill as a slap in the face to servicepeople, because it forced Congress to choose between EITHER expanding hate crime legislation OR making our military go without needed supplies. And Democrats take no issue with that. They don’t see how absolutely despicable that idea is. It’s outrageous.
Ironically, the statement from the Human Rights Campaign president, Joe Solmonese, was as follows: “Today’s signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality.” Um, no, Joe, it doesn’t. It represents LGBT Americans being provided with special treatment. Special treatment does not equal “equality.”
I guess there’s truth to that whole, “Everyone is equal, but some people are more equal than others” concept.
Check it out, Mock. If someone were to attack you because of your sexual orientation, that would be a hate crime. Whether or not this should have been attached to the defense bill, and whether or not “hate crimes” should be given a special distinction are different issues, but the fact remains that the legislation applies to any crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation, among other things. There are already laws on the books that give special attention to crimes perpetrated in the name of race, sex, or religion. This law adds “sexual orientation” to that list. The idea that gays and lesbians are being given special attention under this law is simply false.
OMG, Megan!? You’re totally missing the point. Your take that this bill brings LGBT folks under the umbrella is true. And the fact that if someone is attacked for being straight THEY TOO fall under the umbrella is also true. But that’s the point!!!
The fact that we’re creating all these freaking levels of punishment based on motives IS THE PROBLEM!
Here’s a crazy friggin’ notion. Any time anyone is attacked, hurt, killed, or damaged FOR ANY REASON, let’s use the full force of the law to punish the offender!
As soon as you use the motivation of the attacker to gauge the punitive response, YOU’RE LEGISLATING THOUGHT!!!
How does that not scare the $hit out of everyone!?
Thank you, majordawg. I had no idea this could possibly require MORE explanation, but apparently it did, and you did a fine job!
“Today, the president of the United States put his liberal social priorities ahead of an unambiguous affirmation of our men and women in uniform. Every day, our armed forces stand in defense of freedom and our cherished way of life. It is deeply offensive to their service and to millions of Americans to pile so-called ‘hate crimes’ legislation onto a bill that authorizes critical resources for our troops. Hate crimes legislation is antithetical to the First Amendment, unnecessary and will have a chilling effect on religious freedom.”
Here’s an irony…under the Hate Crimes legislation any soldier being attacked for wearing a uniform, or being a soldier, would not qualify for protection under this law.
Megan: If legislation already covered the need to add special circumstances to penalties for crimes committed for sexual orientation then this law would have never been written.
Use your noodle.
Here’s another irony…if a homosexual attacks a heterosexual for being, well heterosexual, it is not covered under this bill. BTW…that crime happens frequently in SF and that is where the term ‘breeder’ was born.
So tell me about equality again?