25 Threats to Freedom If Sen. Kennedy's "Hate Crimes" and "Sexual Orientation" Proposals Are Added to U.S. Law

10/29/2005 10:13:00 AM
By Robert A. J. Gagnon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary - Illinois Family Institute

An Open Letter Regarding the Current Hate Crimes Amendment

The greatest threat to your civil liberties and the future liberties of your children is once more upon us. In September, the House of Representatives passed a "hate crimes" bill, entitled "The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act," as an amendment to the Child Safety Act (H.R. 3132).


It was rushed through the House in 40 minutes in a stealth move by Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) and includes among its classifications for special protection "sexual orientation" and even "gender identity" (i.e. transvestism and transsexualism). Now Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and others are seeking to get a similar amendment passed in the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it may become the law of the land. Although the Senate Judiciary Committee passed today a new version of the Child Safety Act without the "hate crimes" amendment (S. 1086: "The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act," sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch [R-Utah]), it appears that Senator Kennedy either will try to reintroduce the amendment when the legislation comes to the floor or will add it to another bill such as "The Streamlined Procedures Act of 2005" (S. 1088).

. . .
Here is a sample of 25 things that are likely to happen if "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" is made a specially protected civil rights classification in the legal code:

1. Large fines and eventually jail time if one publicly speaks out against homosexual activity or transgenderism, even as a minister, and the state determines that one's message arouses people to hate homosexual or transgendered persons; this includes messages that cite Scripture or that refer to studies that show higher incidences of promiscuity and disease among homosexually active men.

2. Suspension without pay from one's place of employment and even outright termination if one declares in any way one's opposition to homosexual practice or transgenderism, even if, as a white-collar employee, one makes such a declaration in a "letter to an editor" outside the domain of the workplace; moreover, one will have to pay the court costs of his persecutors.
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