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Gays could soon be protected under law
April 23, 2009 - 6:28pm
Legislation is currently on Capitol Hill that would allow another group of people to be protected by the Hate Crimes Act. Some lawmakers we spoke to Thursday say they're not happy. And neither are some local church leaders.
It’s called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Act of 2009. This same piece of legislation was approved by Congress years ago, but it never got past President Bush.
If they succeed, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity would be added to the list of federally protected classes that already include race, religion and national origin.
But many Christain-based groups are opposed to the bill.
They say it would criminalize religious speech. They say it coud potentially lead to cases where pastors who preach against homosexuality could face the same prosecution as
someone who phyiscally commited a hate crime.
The bill is up for a vote sometime this Spring.
The job of the government is to protect its citizens from violence and not from mere hurtful speech or bad thoughts. Hate crime legislation does not withstand reasoned analysis.
A criminal who kills or injures another should be punished without regard to the status of the victim.
A straight white Christian male who kills another straight white Christian male is as guilty of murder and deserving of punishment as one who kills a Gay Latino Jewish Woman. Both crimes are abhorrent and neither can reasonably be said to be worse than the other unless one is willing to devalue the life of one of the victims.
The same, by the way, is true of so called "Victim Impact" statements which are already allowed in criminal cases. The same logic that says a popular, pleasant, well loved, family man's killer somehow differs from the killer of an unpleasant, friendless, childless, unmarried man supports Hate Crimes legislation (i.e. the victim's status). So I hope everyone who supports the one supports the other also. If you don't then I suggest you do some serious thinking about it.
Eric Rathbone
Smith County Chair
Libertarian Party of Texas
Eric Rathbone
10 months agoWhy stop at gays? Why not protect obese and smokers with the same law?
Discrimination has many faces but we only deal with the ones that people throw a stink about. Why should tolerance of a person have the need to be legislated? We can disagree with the actions of another, but still love the person. We don't EVER have to like everything that someone else does, but we don't take it out on them.
Everyone is equal by heredity, addiction or by choice. A sin is a sin.
Charlie
11 months agoThis is the most ridiculous article I have ever seen posted on a new network.
It is outrageous that any news network would report something so biased and full of lies.
If you are saying homosexuals are so bad for straight people, why don't you try getting your facts straight!
Taylor
11 months agoDoes this mean that guy people cannot attack religious people anymore?
jstsaying
11 months agoI am glad that this has finally come about. Why is it that religion has to be constantly brought into everything that happens? Laws, politics, things like that. Gay people are people. And when someone commits a crime against a gay person, says that they did it because they hate gay people, then that is a hate crime against a gay person. Duh! Does it matter what their religion is? Why should it matter? I have many friends who are gay, and great people for that matter. There is no reason what so ever that this should be banned. Think about it. What if it were your son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father even? Would you still be like "oh, it's not right cause god said it isn't"? I am tired of people saying that everyone in this country is Christian or some form of Christianity. I am not. I am Pagan. Have been for 14 years and I don't see why Christians have the right to say what can and cannot happen in the USA, a country that is very diverse, not just with people's nationalities, but also with their way of life, religions, and personalities. Makes me wanna leave. The bible thumpers have taken over. I don't want a bible thumper telling me I can't live my life nor be protected if I am gay.
wickidbutterfly
11 months agoLEAVE!!! Take your gay friends with you! This country was founded as 'One nation, under God'. The reason this country is foundering, is because special interest groups pollute our Christian culture. Yes, of the religions practiced in the USA the MAJORITY religion is Christianity. How many people are gay? Less than 5 percent. They have no real voice, and don't deserve any. I don't want gays around my children or my grandchildren, or teaching them warped culture. You feel the gays should be protected. I feel normal people should be protected against the twisted culture of homosexuality. You profess to be pagan. Isn't paganism the law of nature? All living beings with a soul? If that's the case, homosexuality would DIE from lack of procreation. Man to man, woman to woman, does not produce offspring. Oh,BTW, my sister is gay, I love her, but she is WRONG, and will probably go to Hell. You may meet her there, since you don't believe in God and Jesus.
etexdiver
11 months agoYou say that gay people don't have a voice. I beg to differ. They very much do! They are people. Just like you, just like me. Aren't we all human? What makes you special? Why are your sheets cleaner? Tell me that? I do know gay people who worship a Christian God (that is good for them, I don't tho) and they do things like "normal" people do. And that is a great question: What is normal to you? Do you have the correct definition of the word? I do feel that anyone who has to be pointed out because of who they are (be it by their race, religion, culture, or orientation) should be protected, because that is their (and our) right as a human being. And yes, I am pagan. But we also believe that everyone has their own heart and soul to feel how they want to feel and need to feel to be loved. Like you said, there are only less than 5% of the gay population and there will still be children being born, so you shouldn't worry about that.
And I am sorry that you feel that your sister is going to Hell. She might just be the angel to save you one of these days from something (who knows what) but you will still shun her to Hell. Really nice family you have there. Just cause you were brought up that way, to think that homosexuality is wrong. That is an opinion. It is not a fact. Written in a book by man. Passed down, by man. Man wrote it and man can be and is alot of times, wrong. So. I am just so sorry that people are so cold and heartless. You have to put down people because they are happy with who they are and you just can't see that. What is wrong with someone being who they want and NEED to be? Nothing. Maybe it is a jealousy because you can't have or find the happiness that they have. Don't we all bleed red? And as for where I go when I die? None of your business but I believe in reincarnation. And if not, then I will go to the spirits where I am needed. Which ever is the path that is asked of me. Just because I don't believe in your "God" and "Jesus" doesn't mean that I don't believe that I am not going to a place wonderful, like your "Heaven". You have no right at all to condemn anyone. NO ONE! Still hope you are blessed tho.
wickidbutterfly
11 months agoSigh,
They are NOT people 'just like me'. They are homosexual.
"Aren't we all human?" So are rapists, murderers, and child molesters. Don't put all 'humans' in the same basket. We aren't the same.
I am not particulary special. I didn't make that assertion.
I never claimed to have cleaner sheets than anyone else. I do, however, wash them weekly, if you really want to know.
What is normal to me is normal people having normal lives, not being forced to change their MAJORITY views and opinions for a small MINORITIY view and opinion.
The definition of normal: Adjective- 1)conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; NATURAL. 2) seving to establish a standard.3)Psychology. a. approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment. b. free from any mental disorder; sane. Biology, Medicine/Medical. a. free from any infection or other form of disease or malformation, or from experimental therapy or manipulation. b. of NATURAL occurrence. Yes, I DO know the definition of normal. Now you do, too. Maybe if the NEA allowed the children to be taught in a normal manner, instead of about 'Mary's two Moms', there wouldn't even be this discussion.
I didn't think a pagan would believe in angels. Do they believe in fairies?
My family is none of your business.
All books of law are written by man. (I suppose you are including women in the word 'man', as in mankind. Or, to be politically correct, should it be peoplekind, or humankind. You're slipping.) The law should be made by the MAJORITY, not by the MINORITY, or some judge who thinks their job is to make law, and not just interpret the Constitution.
"What is wrong with someone being who they want and NEED to be?"
Is it okay for rapists to rape, because they want or NEED to? Murderers to murder because they want or NEED to? Child molesters to molest because they want or NEED to? Do people have the right to say whatever they want to say, do whatever they want to do? Why not? The homosexuals want what THEY want. Why can't everyone have what they want? If the homosexuals get to have the right to live where they want, practice what they want, and engage in whatever lifestyle they want, other people should have the SAME right not to have them around.
It is always the special interest groups who get away with being the most militant about their issues. The reason this 'one nation, under God' is falling apart, is because Christians practice forgiveness and turn the other cheek, and allow special interests to have their way; not to cause trouble. That time is soon coming to an end. Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple. He got angry. All of you Christians out there; it is okay to be angry. It is time to rid this country of the perversions that are allowed by the liberal progressives, their judges, and the media. As Christians, we need to VOTE this garbage out of power.
You say I have no right to condemn anyone. I merely expressed my opinion. Isn't that what you did by bashing 'bible thumpers'. I also reserve the right to express my opinion, as you do. As long as I'm politically correct, and don't hurt any minority opinion. It's okay to bash Christians, I guess. NOT!
Thank you for the hope that I am blessed. I know that I am. I hope you find Jesus. He is always there, for all of us.
etexdiver
11 months agoPeople were created by a living God and for a living God. God loves ALL people but He dislikes sin. Knowing and having a personal relationship with God is the best thing life has to offer. I know because I used to be a pagan too.
Rick Hall
11 months agoI am disappointed to see that a news outlet would post such a biased and inaccurate account. The hate crimes law specifically does not criminalize speech. It is about allocating federal funds to enhance enforcement of existing laws, and it is about making sure that violence committed out of hatred for a group of people — and yes, that does include gay people and transgender people — does not go unpunished, by expanding the types of crimes that can investigated and prosecuted by federal authorities.
The idea that preachers could and would be prosecuted by preaching that homosexuality is a sin is nothing but a scare tactic.
Tammye Nash
11 months agoPost new comment