HR 1913, The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and its companion bill S. 909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act threaten us with targeted censorship, attacks on religious freedom, and outrageous protections for pedophilia and other deviant behavior. Even prominent gay activists like Andrew Sullivan say that this legislation is unnecessary and dishonest. But if these arguments aren’t enough to cause you to grab a pitchfork and march on Washington (or at least call your Senators), then perhaps you need a bigger perspective about what’s really at stake.
As a reminder, the bill has been passed in the House, and is now in process in the Senate. The legislation contains provisions that will increase the penalties for acts committed against certain protected groups, punishing motives as well as acts, and giving special legal stature to homosexuals and those with sexually-related “disabilities”. The language of the bill arguably undermines Fourteenth Amendment “equal protection of the law,” making some groups more equal than others. Pedophiles are elevated to a protected class, but a mother who slaps a child rapist can go to jail for a hate crime. Rep. Alcee Hastings was even so brazen as to align the purpose of the bill with acts of sexual deviancy, saying that it is time to protect “‘philias and fetishes.'”
At the same time, amendments that would have protected faith-based groups from antagonistic prosecution were voted down. This has caused many advocates of religious expression to fear this legislation, drawing on examples of hate crimes laws in Britain and Canada where pastors and other persons of faith have been arrested for religious speech in public places.
These are all good reasons to oppose this bill.
But S. 909 must be stopped for reasons that go far beyond the issues attached to this particular legislation. This proposed law will set a precedent that can be broadened to encompass potentially any idea, belief, or viewpoint. Today hate, tomorrow fill in the blank.
And a refresher course on the mood after 9-11.
Couple this with the attempt by progressives to criminalize conservatism / federalism, and you can truly start to see the brush strokes of fascist tyranny, smiley faced or no.
…and those with sexually-related “disabilities.”
Wot, like erectile dysfunction?
So now what happens if someone from a protected class attacks someone from a different protected class? Is there some kind of victim hierarchy? Because I’d hate to see a black guy not get full justice because his lesbian Puerto Rican assailant had more victim points.
” Congress shall make no law…”
’nuff said
As a man balls deep in a stuffed giraffe with an 8×10 of Miley Cyrus taped over its face, I find this legislation unnecessary and dishonest.
Why not make it retroactive? Then everyone can be swept up for thoughts expressed over the past hateful Bush years and be done with it. Billy A. shouldn’t have to wait any longer. It’s been over 40 years now. There are eggs to break.
Not to mention that it’s some stupid-assed shit. Having lived in Wyoming now for 25 years, about five of them in Laramie, I’m getting deathly sick of hearing about how we need a hate crime law to deal with cretins like those who killed Matthew Shepard.
Both of the bastages were promptly arrested, convicted of 1st degree murder, and are now doing life without the possibility of parole. They will never see the outside of a prison again. I’m not sure what more we could do to them with a hate crime law.
But I suppose if we had a hate crime law they could have been sentenced to life plus 12 years, the great triumph for hate crime laws so recently achieved down in Colorado. I suppose this does make sense if there is no “without the possibility of parole” clause available — we sure don’t want evil thugs paroled after beating someone to death — but that is not the case in the Shepard crime.
The comments at AT are ranging to fey. Janet Napolitano’s taking names, most likely.
I’m not sure if this is the same legislation I was reading about a few days ago that would also give extra funds to law enforcement and the courts for investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. If so, that’s a big incentive to call every incident and altercation a hate crime. Can’t pass up that extra funding after all.
14th amendment won’t mean much with an empath on the bench. FOR TET NUANCE.
I’d say McCain-Feingold made the First Amendment into a frilly lace doily of a defense. The Second Amendment has always been the real bulwark of freedom. It provides for the military arm of the true sovereign, the First is the intelligence service for that same sovereign. Our Government is the hired temps, the outsourced services. Needs trimming.
But…I have potential hatred for everyone already. Isn’t that fair enough?
Seriously, I don’t want to be Canada, with weirdo self-proclaimed anti-hate people peeking and prowling all over the ‘net.
The Thought Police have been out and active for a couple of decades now, seeking to preempt any dissent from what the leftist elites deem as “politically correct.” It is already being enforced by the media in the arena of public offices, the civil courts in the private employment sector, and by the leftist professoriate which controls the academy.
Let this dark interlude on our great nation’s history be an enduring lesson to us: you cannot reason with the left; you cannot accommodate or appease the left; you cannot even defeat them in the arena of ideas or on the battlefield because, like the soulless undead creatures they are, they keep coming back. You can only drive stakes through their evil hearts.
Rope would probably be worth a try, though, if we can lay hands on enough of it.
Rope? Like to make nooses (neese?) out of? RACIST!!!
“So now what happens if someone from a protected class attacks someone from a different protected class? ”
Jeez looks like you’re just going to have to remain ignorant on this point.
Someone’s bound to mention the first amendment, so here again is the unanimous supreme court opinion on that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_v._Mitchell
Enjoy.
This act won’t prevent a single hate crime. Not ever. I wonder if anyone will notice.
Jeez looks like you’re just going to have to remain ignorant on this point.
Did it really look like I was making a serious point? It was a joke you dumb twat.
“It was a joke you dumb twat.”
Yes. An ignorant one.
Abe’s mistake was in assuming that a stupid fucking fascist would have a sense of humor.
Q. How many SFAGs does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. That’s not funny!
Anti-ignorantist.
STRING HER UP!
You must think we’re all ignorant considering how transparently dishonest most of your comments are. If there’s anything more pathetic than a liar it is a lazy one.
It’s amazing that SFAG continues with her schtick, considering how she MUST know that everyone here is on to her.
I’m starting to suspect some form of mental illness, frankly.
3 out of 4 Hispanic Republicans in the House voted yes on this bill.
It’ll never be a hate crime to kill a lawyer I don’t think. Journalists I can see finagling a state-sanctioned victimy status, cause of they are so victimy and mewling already, but even under the most fascisty dirty socialist regime what Barack Obama and Mr. Soros dream and scheme for, it’s your lawyers what will never not sleep with one eye open I imagine.
That’s nice, poon.
Did you have a point?
Turns out my limbic brain is all messed up, could someone bring up charges on Garofalo for me? Thanks.
Btw, I thought psycho’s comment was hilarious.
I denounce myself accordingly.
Remember the Texas case that caused people to shriek about Bush’s bigotry because Texas doesn’t have a hate crimes law? ISTR that at least one of those involved was sentenced to death. I can’t think of how you could enhance that sentence.
Because some victims of crimes are more equal than others.
ISTR that at least one of those involved was sentenced to death.
Two of them got the death penalty, and the third “got off” with life in prison.
But oh, if only there’d been a “hate crime” law, then they could’ve REALLY thrown the book at them!
Poon is a pussy. Meya is a twat. This is a hate-crime in action. Psycho rocks.
Mitchell held “the primary responsibility for fixing criminal penalties lies with the legislature.”
Rehnquist’s suggestion that such enhancement laws wouldn’t chill speech seems specious to me, but then, I have no problem with a movement to make sure legislators constrain courts.
Oh. And I haven’t a clue what poon is talking about.
Sometimes I think these drive-by commenters think that we are as party-rigid in our thinking as they are in theirs.
That was the only sense I could make of it, Jeff.
Rehnquist’s suggestion that such enhancement laws wouldn’t chill speech seems specious
For sure what they won’t chill is hatey crime. In fact it seems like more hatey crime just keeps getting invented year after year despite all the laws already passed. Soon it will be at epidemic levels and no one will be safe and people will say gosh it’s so hateful here in our little country and Barack Obama will say yes I think it is a very hateful little country indeed and then he will make a speech. In prime time. After that we’ll just have to stop and reassess cause of his speeches are so powerful and substancey.
I don’t know what poon was talking about but that might be the only time I’ve heard that formulation without a pitch for toothpaste.
i like ponies/ but under every ponytail
is a horses ass..
ugh, what am I supposed to do with my hair now?
Chewing gum too, Mr. bh cause of the not smoking I have a new favorite. It’s these ones except I get them cheaper than that cause of I am a savvy shopper person. Mr. Jeff I wish you would get an Amazon affiliation account link thinger for so I could use it cause it’s not like I will ever stop sharing about the interesting fascinating inspiring consumer products. Cause of they are so fascinating. These ones are made by Hershey, which Wrigley tried to buy not long ago. Wrigley is a Chicago company and like as not more than a little compromised. Cause of Chicago is a corrupt dirty socialist shithole. With great architecture.
sorry/ ur rite/ didn’t think of females
i denounce myself
hf, you’ll be happy to know that when I lived in Wrigleyville the nearest bar was the Manhole and socialists kept trying to steal my bike.
On the other hand, during the summer, I’d have the windows open and my lazy Sunday would begin to the sound of the Star Spangled Banner from Wrigley Field.
what the two dead-heads say when they ran out of drugs…?
“this music sucks!”
That bar doesn’t sound gay at all. Some day we will talk more specifically about chocolate. Specifically the kind what has bubbles… It’s made in Belarus!! I would never have bought imported bubbly chocolate back when patriotism was valued in our little country because it seemed an unserious thing to do but now it looks right tasty I think. Here is a chocolatey song of sorts … she likes chocolate rather a lot except not on the sofa she finds that sort of distressing.
American freedom is defined by four boxes: mailbox, soapbox, ballot box, cartridge box.
The mailbox? Our government has been ignoring that for years.
The soapbox? You just saw the last trace of that vanish.
The ballot box? Considering that our current President was elected with proven massive donor fraud and probable election fraud by ACORN, and that this same ACORN is now running the Census deciding future election districts, that one’s gone.
Only one box left…..
Not off topic in the least: another reason Jeff can’t give if up is that on Friday a guy put me in the plum and I moved in on him and then stayed on my feet when he dropped for a single leg.
Where else do you get advice like that in the comments?
Boxes. Sting sang of thems what were packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes. Sting often cast a jaundiced eye upon society and then sang about it. It was just sort of something he did. I think he’s still alive. oh. That bar’s closed now bh but the filter won’t let me post the page where I learned that.
I’m surprised it took that long, hf. It was a bit north and west of Boys Town and catered to the rough trade, I like unhappy drugs, just got of prison sort.
Okay, that’s an assumption but at the Checker’s near there you’d often see those guys and I thought “don’t ever go to jail” more than “flaming”.
the filter won’t let me post the page where I learned that
Yeah, I’ve had several URL-containing posts vanish today. Did the anti-spam software get updated or something?
SBP, you are an ignoramus and possibly contain traces of New Coke DNA. Further, you are an idiot beyond measure while I am a genius beyond compare.
Okay, kidding. No trolls have said this today though so I thought I’d fill in.
are you wearin a ponytail, bh?
No. But oddly enough? Horse’s ass right there on the back of my head. Maybe I should consider grow a mullet.
Boys Town sounds like Teh Ghey ;-) bh – I did not know you were in Chicago.
“Oh. And I haven’t a clue what poon is talking about.”
Hispanics Provided The Margin of Victory in These Four States – In Colorado, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 12.4% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 7%. In Florida, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 7.9% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 2%. In Nevada, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 12.4% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 12%. In New Mexico, Obama’s Hispanic support accounted for 28.3% of the electorate, while Obama only won by 15%.
If These Trends Continue, the National Map Will Continue to Get Harder for Republicans
Shall we win elections or squabble over petty rhetorical points?
Plenty of groups currently get special treatment from the U.S. government now.
Who cares if a few more get them if it wins us elections?
And I already denounced myself, so save it.
me
Do you know most Hispanics are white?
because it’s not a “petty rhetorical point”. It’s about equal protection under the law.
Who cares if we win elections if we lose individual freedom?
Poon is a pussy. Are you so dismissive of Latinos that you think the best way to get them to vote for your ideals is to abandon your ideals, and support some legislation that is really only designed to protect Leftist identity politics groups. But, YMMV.
Somebody ought to tell them Hispanics that they’re not really in line for special treatment unless they’re here illegally. Try as they might, they’re not nearly othery enough. If they’d quit being so frigging Catholic, that might help.
JD, I find you extremely denounceworthy.
Yeah. As a little kid, I lived in McHenry for a couple years before growing up in Wisco. Then south side in college for a few years. Then various places on the near north side for a decade when I worked on LaSalle.
The freaky thing? That Bears/Packers grudge has become an internal conflict. I’m using sausage and beer therapy. It’s the latest thing.
Poon’s simple or a moby.
You will have to get together with us next time I am up there, bh. I carry a blanket denunciation for myself, so the rest of you do not ave to. Saves much effort for everyone.
Ah, you’re lucky I’m older, engaged and more mature now, JD. Your blanket denunciation might have ended with an unexpectedly high tab and some dude pissed off at you because he thought your name was Jer.
But, yeah, I was hoping to make it down when Jeff was coming through and you guys ate a bunch of steak without me. Next time.
I’ll be back that way in the next couple weeks. Dead cow on me …
Okay, okay, okay, I’ll put out then. Metaphorically. I’m still wearing a white suit to the wedding, damn it!
Now you are cracking me up. Watching the 500 on Tivo. Goodnight, all.
#52: Thank you, bh. It just wouldn’t seem like a normal day without that.
JeffG wrote:
Only sometimes?
“…only designed to protect Leftist identity politics groups.”
To be credible, maybe you should take a shot or two at Rightist Identity groups once in a while.
Otherwise, it’s just politics as usual.
honk-shoo
You’re new around here, aren’t you poon?
I want to be in an identity group. One what has its own cable channel.
What you should know is when I get in my identity group, you fuck with me the full weight of the law will fall on your ass. Haters. So if I were you I would be very very nice to me now before I join up so it doesn’t look like you’re kissing up cause of my new status and all. Don’t think I won’t notice.
Only silly people who cling onto ideas like equality before the law.
WTF are “Rightist Identity groups”?
I like the formulation that the smallest minority is the individual, and if we really care about minority rights we’d be protecting the individual before protecting special classes.
(And, yeah, that phrase places poon straight into the Moby category. What a maroon.)
Only one is called “free man” aka American.
The only genuine solution I think you’re ever going to see is revolution. Not necessarily violent but of such passion from so many that the PC/fascist ideas are swept away with the tide. There is no conceivable “normal” method whereby the thousands and thousands of pages of laws and regulations will ever be removed from the body of law. At best the normal methods will produce a party that for a while doesn’t add anymore laws or at least none detrimental to liberty. Then the pendulum will swing back and the process will start up again.
To be credible, maybe you should take a shot or two at Rightist Identity groups once in a while.
Otherwise, it’s just politics as usual.
Moron, heal thyself first!
Are Portugese hispanic?
Hisiberic?
[…] new set of bills that’s already passed the House gives special protection to pedophiles in the name of “protecting gheys”. (Even Andrew Sullivan’s not buying that, […]
I was wrong. Poon is not a pussy. Poon is pig ignorant.
Happyfeet – That last one had me rolling.
American freedom is defined by four boxes:
mailbox,soapbox, ballot box, jury box, cartridge box.The mail and soap boxes are one and the same (Freedom of speech).The jury box has been neutered by judges arrogating from juries their inherent power to judge the law itself and return a “not guilty” verdict even if the prosecution proves the defendant committed an act criminalized by a statute, if they deem that the defendant was within his rights to commit that act despite the act of the legislature (“jury nullification”). The case that judges don’t want you to know about is New York v. Zenger, under which Colonial-era New York Weekly Journal publisher John Peter Zenger ran something unkind to the Governor, who promptly had him arrested for “seditious libel”. Under British libel law, he was guilty, but his lawyer appealed to the jury on the basis that what Zenger published was truthful, and a law forbidding truthful criticism is itself inherently unjust.
Trying to turn the garden-variety failure of the Republican Party into some kind of heroic martyrdom isn’t helpful, JD.
Either we start appealing to minorities or we have to accept being the party of Boss
Hogg forever.
What is this “we” of which you speak. You are certainly not conservative, or a classic liberal. Moby.
Hint – The Rush reference is a dead giveaway, poofter.
Again, I was wrong. This one is pig ignorant, and a pussy. They are not mutually exclusive.
“Comment by happyfeet on 5/24 @ 11:21 pm #
I want to be in an identity group. One what has its own cable channel.”
TURTLE TV!
yay!
If you’re going to define that as, sell out eternal principles in favor of short-term tactical advantage, shifting allegiances every two years just to win the next election, Benjamin Franklin is standing behind you with a baseball bat in hand, ready to give you a serious beatdown.
So, how do you propose we appeal to minorites? Affirmative action, amnesty for illegal aliens, bigger government giveaways, hate crime legislation, funding abortion on demand…are there any conservative principles you wouldn’t sacrifice for votes?
Either we start appealing to minorities
Hush, poon.
You’re not fooling anybody here, child.
Darn. I don’t know which Identity Group to join. Does anyone have a list? I don’t even know the qualifications, the dues, or the schedule of events! This is too hard!
And are those additive or multiplicative identities? Trig identities?
I want to be the Y combinator.
minorities are small businessman in a bug way and I don;t mean gay-assed microcredit communitarian commie bullshit I mean they really work and achieve and thems are the ones that we speak to a lot compellingly. Also, education. They’re not stupid you know and they know school systems what the dirty socialists have controlled forever are teh suck. Vouchers vouchers vouchers. Also, legalizing drugs in some way that’s not all about generating revenue while making lots of monies available for rehab and for real cutting down on all the nonviolent nonthievey incarcerations. If you believe in the individual you have to believe in second chances I think, and that is a lot what rehab is all about or should be except a lot it’s just a tired waste of time for so no one has to pay to put you in jail. That would speak a lot to minorities I think. Also I think it’s shameful that Texas doesn’t do more to secure it’s own border instead of waiting for the federal government to do it for them.
ack – I got up to make coffee with my new French press thinger and I forgot to proof that. Sorry.
David Frum is now trolling sites under the name of poon?
‘The case that judges don’t want you to know about is New York v. Zenger, under which Colonial-era New York Weekly Journal publisher John Peter Zenger ran something unkind to the Governor, who promptly had him arrested for “seditious libelâ€. ‘
Yeah. Judges don’t want you to know about cases of outrageous opprossive governments from before the constitution was ratified. Dickheads.
“David Frum is now trolling sites under the name of poon?”
After enduring the spectacle of porcine cowards like Newt, Rush and Dick publicly wetting themselves for the past few months, it’s nice to see real men like Colin Powell and Tom Ridge speaking up for the Republicans.
I just feel like celebrating a little.
The Chickenhawks…now there’s a uniquely Rightist Identity Group.
The Chickenhawks…now there’s a uniquely Rightist Identity Group.
That’s almost stupid enough to have come from meya.
Poon is a Moby pussy chicken-poofter lying oozing fistula on a chocolate starfish. Poon is to conservatism what tuna is to the Indy 500.
The Chickenhawks…
So when are you signing up, poon?
I mean, your man Obama hasn’t pulled out any of the troops, right? The Army is still taking enlistments, right?
A constitution that says people have the right to a trial by jury, which includes the power that the jury in Zenger had.