Chilling Effect of Hate Crimes Law? » The Foundry
Watch what you are thinking!! It just may send you to prison. That’s the new hate Crimes bill that Congress passed under the cover of a defense spending bill. The Hate Crimes bill could not stand-alone so the Democrats attached it to a bill for funding that our troops who are fighting two wars desperately need. Republicans tried to insert language into the bill to protect free speech but the judges that are being appointed by Obama and many who are already out there many of whom believe they are the final arbiters of what the law should be.
Future misapplication of the new hate crimes law to invite federal prosecution of individuals who express moral or religious beliefs about homosexual conduct remains a deep concern among religious and family groups, who believe that language offered by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) may not prove strong enough to prevent federal inquiries designed to chill discussions of traditional moral views.
Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow Tom Messner has documented, evidence is accumulating that crimes of vandalism, physical and verbal intimidation, invasion of privacy, disruption of employment and threats of serious physical harm are occurring against people with opposing views on the merits of same-sex marriage. Even President Obama has referred to advocates of traditional marriage as seeking to “enshrine discrimination into our Constitution.” Laws have consequences, and eventually – perhaps soon – the debate over the implications of the new federal hate crimes measure will cease to be academic.
