Comments on: Petition Exposes Family Research Council’s Support for Antigay Violence

By: Michael Airhart

Michael Airhart — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:28:16 +0000

Here is the current federal hate-crimes law, as amended several times. Public Law No: 103-322 Here is the current House legislation to amend the hate-crimes law: H.R. 1913 The Senate is awaiting action by the House before introducing hate-crimes legislation.

By: James

James — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:53:46 +0000

Hey Mike,

You quoted something from the proposed hate crime law. I am doing my Sociology term paper on hate crimes, and I would like a copy of the text of the hate crime law to use as a source, where can I find this???

By: Michael Airhart

Michael Airhart — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:04:49 +0000

Precisely, David.

By: David

David — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:21:48 +0000

Adding “sexual orientation” to thought crimes legislation gives one set of crime victims a higher level of protection than it gives to people like you and me.

…Silly me, I thought heterosexuality was a sexual orientation also.

By: Michael Airhart

Michael Airhart — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:26:10 +0000

The federal hate crimes law explicitly protects religious freedom of speech:

"Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution."

A defendant's opinions or statements cannot be used to convict someone of a hate crime unless those expressions were directly related to the commission of the violent crime in question:

"In a prosecution for an offense under this section, evidence of expression or association of the defendant may not be introduced as substantive evidence at trial, unless the evidence specifically relates to that offense. However, nothing in this section affects the rules of evidence governing the impeachment of a witness."

Christian pastors already have the right not to marry Jews, Muslims, or anyone else who doesn't fit their religious views. The hate-crimes law does not change that. It seems to me that Brad Anderson wants violent criminals to be given lenient sentences if their victims are gay.

By: brad anderson

brad anderson — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:30:15 +0000

mr airhart
sounds to me that you want pastors and ministers
to be persecuted for speaking out against
homosexuality! by the way wayne besen showed himself
to be the close minded intolerant bigot
he really is on the o’reilly factor last
tuesday night. I’m glad o’reilly exposed
his intolerance and took him to task! one last
question can you really guarantee me that
should gay marriage become the law of the land,
that christian pastors and ministers won’t
be taken to court for not marrying gay couples?
I look forward to your response (you can send
it to my e-mail)