In a desperate bid to prevent sexual orientation from being added to existing federal hate-crime laws, Focus on the Family on Friday equated the gay victims of felony violence with pedophiles.
The actual legislation is available to read online: Senate Bill 909, and the recently passed House bill H.R. 1913.
The bills make penalties (sentences) that already exist under federal hate crimes available to be applied to those already convicted of existing crimes of felony violence. Until now, felony violence committed against heterosexual or homosexual persons has been sentenced less harshly under federal hate-crime law than violence committed on the basis of what the perpetrator assumes to be the race or religion of the victim. Both bills correct that injustice, by 1) ensuring that heterosexuals and homosexuals receive equal treatment, and 2) ensuring that when a perpetrator assaults a heterosexual person based on the perpetrator’s mistaken assumption that the victim is gay, the felony is not punished less harshly.
Instead of linking to or quoting the actual legislation, Focus on the Family falsely states that the legislation “would create a new class of crimes” and falsely states that the legislation punishes speech by antigay pastors.
Worse, Focus on the Family abandons any pretense (borrowed, perhaps from its “Love Won Out” ex-gay roadshow?) of loving same-sex-attracted persons. Focus equates same-sex-attracted victims of violent crime with pedophiles. Focus states:
Even more concerning, the legislation could create special protection for pedophiles.
Sexual orientation is already defined in law and in psychiatry as an attraction to men, women, or both — not to children. Focus on the Family falsely insinuates that sexual orientation can be interpreted as an attraction to children.
Those complicit in Focus’ declaration of hate against the victims of violent antigay crime included James Dobson; Focus’ top lobbyist Tom Minnery; Gary Bauer; Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tex.; and Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.
As a Criminal Justice student, I am so sick of hearing about the lies of this hate crime bill. It will NOT cover pedophiles. Sexual orientation means, and will always be an attraction to men, women, or both. Hate Crime legislation based on sexual orientation is already in 32 states and out of those 32 states, 12 of them include gender identity. NEVER has it been used to refer to pedophiles.
In addition, a great number of states prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and many federal organizations do also. This includes Federal Law Enforcement. If anyone goes to the FBI’s website, you’ll see that their Equal Employment policy prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Now does one honestly, in their right mind, think that pedophiles work in the FBI?
It’s a ridiculous and weak attempt to prevent a perfectly legitimate piece of legislation from passing.
What gets me thought, is that every politician in the Senate will have a copy of this bill in front of them, what’s keeping them from saying, “Oh I don’t know what these conservatives are talking about!” I don’t know….
That “Hate Crimes Fact Sheet” on the Citizenlink page is a real piece of work.
Why don’t they just write up a bill and lobby congress with their millions and millions of dollars to have ALL hate crimes legislation repealed?
Then they can get to work on a law that does away with that whole first, second, and third degree murder thing. May as well throw out manslaughter and negligent homicide too, since the outcome is always the same.
If it were up to me I’d make measuring itself illegal.
Is there anyone NOT in awe at how loony these “christians” in name only have become?
These well-paid professional “christians” not only bear false witness, but they’re doing it several times daily. I don’t even believe most children make up as many lies as these adults.
I wasn’t around back then, but did these “christians” make up the same kind of lies about interracial couples? And I wonder if their lies about mixed couples were as interchangeable as their lies about gay people! LOL
“I wasn’t around back then, but did these “christians” make up the same kind of lies about interracial couples? And I wonder if their lies about mixed couples were as interchangeable as their lies about gay people! LOL”
Well Scott, according to the advisor of the LGBT alliance at my school (who is 55 years old) the Christians in 1967 were saying the same things about interracial marriage as they are about gay marriage today.
They said things like, “Marriage is for partners of the same race only.” it’s ironic how they went on to say, “It will destroy the institution of marriage.” and “It will destroy society.” and they even quoted verses from the bible that said that God only approved of same racial relationships.
I’m not worried, history will repeat itself.
[...] May 20, 2009 True to form, Focus on the Family pulls another stunt. Truth Wins Out has the article here along with some related [...]