Saturday, October 10, 2009

Are You Paying Attention?

Most Americans don't realize it, but a set of bills passed in the wee hours of the morning recently will most likely become law, and very soon you will be a criminal just for reading your Bible and expressing it's contents!

The House approved its version, H.R. 1913, or the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, April 29. But the Senate plan remained in the Judiciary Committee until Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced its consideration this week. Then in a middle-of-the-night vote, senators approved 63-28 a plan to add it as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill pending, despite opposition from Sen. John McCain, (R-Ariz.).

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) presented a hypothetical question to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; ... where a minister gives a sermon, quotes the Bible about homosexuality and is thereafter attacked … by a gay activist because of what the minister said about his religious beliefs and what Scripture says about homosexuality. Is the minister protected?

No, said Holder.

"Well, the statute would not – would not necessarily cover that," Holder stated. "We're talking about crimes that have a historic basis. Groups who have been targeted for violence as a result of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, that is what this statute tends – is designed to cover. We don't have the indication that the attack was motivated by a person's desire to strike at somebody who was in one of these protected groups. That would not be covered by the statute."

Rush Limbaugh, on his radio show, said; "In other words: ministers and whites are not covered by the hate crime statute because we're talking about crimes that have a historic basis, groups who have been targeted for violence as a result of their skin color, sexual orientation. So hate crimes are reserved exclusively for blacks and homosexuals. Everybody else can get to the back of the bus on this one."

This legislation could leave Christian ministers open to prosecution should their teachings be linked to any subsequent offense, by anyone, against a homosexual person. So much for the First Amendment! The bill earned its nickname, "The Pedophile Protection Act," when Rep. Steve King proposed an amendment during its trek through the U.S. House that would specify pedophiles could not use the law to protect their activities.

The Majority Democrats flatly refused to vote on this amendment.

... Folks, our Freedoms are going away quickly. Are you paying attention?
The Observer

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