It is really disingenuous and less than honest, to present the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act as a law that would criminalize preaching against homosexuality.
That is not what this law will do. The notion that preachers will be prosecuted for preaching that homosexuality is a sin, is frankly, laughable. No one in any state that has enacted such a law has ever been, or will ever be prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality.
Texas already has the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Law that has been in effect for years. And that law includes sexual orientation, and no one has ever been prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality in Texas since the law was signed by Governor Rick Perry.
Preaching that homosexuality is a sin, is protected speech under the First Amendment. And any claim otherwise is just not accurate.
Brent Crawford April 27, 2009
at 11:11pm
It is really disingenuous and less than honest, to present the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act as a law that would criminalize preaching against homosexuality.
That is not what this law will do. The notion that preachers will be prosecuted for preaching that homosexuality is a sin, is frankly, laughable. No one in any state that has enacted such a law has ever been, or will ever be prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality.
Texas already has the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Law that has been in effect for years. And that law includes sexual orientation, and no one has ever been prosecuted for preaching against homosexuality in Texas since the law was signed by Governor Rick Perry.
Preaching that homosexuality is a sin, is protected speech under the First Amendment. And any claim otherwise is just not accurate.