All, what do you think of the pending "hate crimes" legislation that may impede your freedom of speech?

Question

All of the uproar has been about the addition of "sexual orientation" to hate crimes legislation. Are you aware that "religion" is a protected class also?

Section 3, Part a, Part 1, Part C:

IN GENERAL- At the request of State, local, or Tribal law enforcement agency, the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that—is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or Tribal hate crime laws.

Everyone is screaming that their "free speech" rights to bash homosexuals would be violated, why is nobody screaming about the violation of "free speech" rights to bash religion?

Answer 1

That says nothing about speech. It says that if a crime was committed and the motivation was "hate" toward a group then additional charges or mitigating circumstances would be added to the original charge. At least that is how I read it. I know here in L.A. people have been given "hate crime" status when they have defiled religious institutions.

Answer 2

Any laws regarding what is called a 'hate crime' establishes a thought police per se. Let's say for example, that a man murders his neighbor. Whether this man's motive was racial or a robbery, it doesn't matter. Murder is Murder and it is wrong regardless why you do it. But, this new legislation wants to give harsher punishment to people who supposedly commit crimes because they 'hate' someone. Here is where the "thought police" come in. It is NOT illegal to dislike anyone or hate anyone for any reason. You can think negative thoughts about anyone at anytime. But, to use that as an excuse for committing a crime is absolutely absurd. It is even more absurd for the lawmakers to push the idea that there is even such a thing as a hate crime and that those people committing these hate crimes should be dealt harsher punishments. It's not crime to hate. But it is a crime to murder someone, rob someone, etc. etc. I don't care what the motive is..... Everyone should receive the same punshments for their crimes. I think political correctness in this country has gone way too far and really has made a joke out of our freedoms. We let people get away with too much, yet, the government is out to control our every move and thought in the name of these types of absurdities.

Answer 3

No not at all what it prevents harming them through acts and statements that induce voilence and prejuduce. Lets face it , Gays though have suffered tremendous damage from a lot of religious leaders including some Popes by calling them disordered and having a disposition to evil. In the past it was considered wrong and immoral to have homosexual activity and being gay was a mental illness and subject to legal sanctions.. The attitudes and beliefs of many a religous leader have been responsible for a good amount of the prejuduce against them.As a result homosexuals need an extra leg of protection.

Answer 4

H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (LLEHCPA), 1 if passed into law, would update the federal hate crimes act of 1968. That act has applied to only those hate crimes motivated by "race, color religion or national origin." 1 LLEHCRA would expand hate-crimes coverage to include physically violent crimes in which the perpetrator was motivated by hatred of the victim's "... religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability." 1



One opinion: everyone is is protected by the bill:
The bill covers violent crime that was motivated by hatred of the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

So, every person that has a:

Sexual orientation, whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual;
Gender, whether they are male or female or, we assume, intersexual;
Race and skin color -- two terms whose definition lack consensus;
Religion, whether they consider themselves to be Agnostic, Atheist, Christian, Humanist, Jew, Muslim, secularist, Wiccan, etc., or
National origin, whether born in the U.S., or a naturalized citizen, permanent resident or visitor from another country,

would be protected by this bill. Since everyone is a member of each of these classifications, then everyone is protected.

Two additional categories require more explanation:

Gender identity is another protected class. It is defined in the bill as "actual or perceived gender-related characteristics." AllPsych Online defines it as:

"The internal sense of being either male or female. Usually congruent with biological gender, but not always as in Gender Identity Disorder." 2

The vast majority of adults feel that their biological/genetic gender is the same as how they feel their gender to be. That is, a person who is biologically and genetically female almost always feels themselves to be a female. However, a small minority of persons, commonly called transsexuals, are different. For example, some believe that they are a female trapped in a male body. The definition in this bill would seem to apply to both those whose biological/genetic gender is the same as their internal sense, and those for whom the two differ. That is, everyone is covered by this category.

Disability: Some hate crimes victimize persons because they are disabled. But, a person without disabilities could conceivably be attacked because they are not disabled. Thus, it could be argued that the category of "disability" includes everyone: able-bodied and disabled.

In summary, every American falls into all of the protected categories, without exception.

Answer 5

this is not only an infringement on the freedoms of speech and religion, but it also contradicts the constitutional phrase that states ''all men are created equal.'' is it more wrong for me to murder someone because he's gay than it is to murder someone because i don't get along with him? all violent crimes are hate crimes. i don't see how or why the motivation should make the punishment any less or any more severe.

i'll also add to what starfire said...
the idea of separation of church and state is a two-sided coin. so often we forget that it was not only intended to protect the government from the church/religion, but also to protect the church/religion from the government.

Answer 6

Free speech comes with responsibilities. Everyone want their rights but few are willing to even acknowledge the responsibilities that come along with them

You can not yell "fire" in a crowded theater - free speech or no.

Laws against hate crimes do not interfere with your right to free speech but they do make it harder to be completely irresponsible and claim you have the "right" to be so.

Answer 7

If a society feels the need to fight for their right to insult others, there is something very wrong with that society.

Freedom of speech is an important issue. Respecting others should be a much more important issue.

Answer 8

Ummm, it goes both ways and it is not about bashing a persons sexuality....

It is about being able to practice our religion without government interference...

That is partially what the 1st amendment was to do...

Answer 9

In a carnal world,nothing will ever be resolved.
The minute God was put outside the govornment & schools,ppl started putting Him outside their lives also.
Man is the means of his own destruction,because he thinks he is the greatest being in the universe.
God's laws are perfect & without order,nothing can go right.
I love all your souls & wish those of you who are blind,could see the light of truth!
Without God,everything man does will fail,because "Good" works,without 'Faith" are dead.

Answer 10

Hate crime legislation in no way prohibits verbal bashing or name-calling or being a jackass in general. It in no way prohibits or limits freedom of speech. Ok?