A new hate-crimes bill introduced earlier this month in Congress may eventually pass both Houses, pro-family experts say. The president's help may be needed to keep it from becoming law.
The House Judiciary Committee has begun consideration of H.R.254, sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. The legislation is similar to measures passed by the House in 2005 and by the Senate in 2004.
The Lee bill seeks to establish a new federal offense for hate crimes and would mandate a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses tried under its provisions. A sentence of life imprisonment could await those convicted.
Focus on the Family Action, and other pro-family groups, oppose the bill.
"We oppose hate-crimes laws because they do not equally protect all Americans as the U.S. Constitution demands," said Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy for Focus on the Family Action.
"The job of our law-enforcement agencies and courts is to punish crime, not thoughts. We must seek justice for those who are victims of violence, absolutely, but not by passing a law that tramples Americans' right to free thought."
Minnery said it is ironic that the House is considering this bill today -- the very day President Bush has declared Religious Freedom Day.
"America was founded on religious freedom, and our future greatness as a nation depends on it. H.R. 254 threatens that future by not aggressively prosecuting criminal acts, but by giving Washington the power to decide what constitutes criminal thought."
Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, the nation's largest network of ex-gay ministries, said the objection to hate-crimes legislation isn't just theoretical -- it has actually been used to prosecute Christians for their beliefs about homosexuality, both in the U.S. and internationally.
"In Philadelphia, 11 Christians were jailed for sharing a message from the Bible to a crowd of people attending a public pro-gay event," he said.
"Preachers have been fined or jailed in Canada and Sweden for quoting passages from the Bible about homosexuality. In England, a Christian was thrown in jail for passing out pamphlets with Bible verses condemning homosexual activity."
Chambers said it is essential Congress reconsider its support for hate-crimes legislation.
"The freedom to live our lives in a manner consistent with our faith-based beliefs is precious and so is the ability to share truth with others," he added.
But Amanda Banks, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said that, based upon previous votes in both the House and Senate, the bill will likely pass both chambers if it is brought up for a vote.
"We're going to have to rely on the president to veto this anti-faith, anti-family legislation," she told Family News in Focus.
The problem is -- President Bush has not faced a viable hate-crimes bill while he has been in office, and no one knows for sure what he will do. That makes it all the more important to take action.
"Please call the president and ask him to veto any hate crimes legislation that may reach his desk," Banks said.
TAKE ACTION
1. Please contact your representative and ask him/her to oppose HR 254, the hate-crimes bill. For more about the bill, and help in contacting your lawmakers, please see the CitizenLink Action Center.
2. Call the White House comment line and ask President Bush to veto any hate-crimes legislation that reaches his desk, 202-456-1111
(Paid for by Focus on the Family Action)
