Obama to Sign Hate Crimes Bill Wednesday

I'm another that doesn't really understand hate crime legislation. It is legislation that can be used any time a crime is committed where the victim and perpetrator differ in race, religion or sexual orientation. While I know there are minorities who have been victimized, there are also minorities (and I do include race, religion and sexual orientation in this group)who have specifically targeted specific groups, as well. I want to see ANYONE who is victimized by another see justice.

Obama's lost.

I hate Government.

I always find it interesting to read controversial topics because the different opinions always boil down to the same thing: race, sexual orientation, and religion.

As for President Obama, he campaigned on bringing us together but so clearly, by passing this law for example, does not practice what he preached or continues to preach.

By passing this law, he is stating that a certain group of people are more protected than another group. And, it is only because of your race or orientation that you are protected by this law. THAT IS DISCRIMINATION.

Let us say that a gay couple were walking together down some small town road in a backwoods town and were beaten up. Besides the fact they were already protected under the law... now the trash that beat them are going to be punished more than someone else.

For instance, if I... a straight and white man were walking down a street with my girlfriend in a minority neighborhood were beaten up by some minorities, should we not get the same protection?

Or am I being racist now for even considering that a minority would beat us up because we are white, straight conservatives? This law certainly is discriminating against a class of people.

Why is it that just because I don't hold the same values as someone else that I am a bigot or small minded or hateful? Could I not hold that same view about that other class? If that class voices their opinion they are held as brave and applauded but if I voice my opinion, I am just ignorant.

I don't hate anyone and I appreciate anyone, regardless of their view that doesn't hate others. I can easily agree to disagree.

Finally, until you do have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it is foolish to lump all Christians into your views of religion. A relationship with Christ is NOT the same thing as organized religions so don't even go there.

chad, thats not accurate, the way you portray your example. how often do people get attacked for their eye colour? not really often i should say. and hate crimes are NOT just about murder you blundering fool. its also about harassment.

For C.Steve:
You said "I find it amusing that conservatives have no problem with the existing federal hate crimes law, which provides for severe penalties when acts of violence are perpetrated against people based on race or religion -- it is only when sexual orientation is added to the protective ambit of this measure that those same conservatives start whining and crying foul."

Not this conservative. "Hate Crime" in of itself is a ridiculous and unnecessary piece of legislation regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation etc. Let me ask you this. Were criminals just not getting prosecuted for murdering people of race, gender or sexual orientation? Were these criminals being allowed to walk free because they killed a gay person? Absolutely not. Criminals have always been prosecuted for violating the law. “Hate Crime” laws increase the penalty based on what your intent was prior to and or during your attack. The point is this. If person A is on top of person B and person A is stabbing person B to death, it makes NO difference the reason why this attack is occurring. What if person A hates everyone with green eyes and only kills people because they have green eyes? Will we create laws and increase the penalty of the crime for everyone with green eyes? No. It’s simply ridiculous and completely unnecessary. Murder is Murder and the penalty for such crimes should be the same regardless of “why” you committed Murder.

I agree enforce the laws that is already on the books Mr. Obama before you write new ones. Guess you like signing the easy stuff that would keep you with the votes in the next election typical Chicago politician. Thinking ahead and looking out for self.

I say we all re-post Phillip Chandler's comments so that maybe, if people see it a million times, they might begin to comprehend its message! So here it is:

At long, long last, this measure is about to be signed into law by a President who is sympathetic to the plight of gay Americans. For the record -- this measure identifies a characteristic possessed by ALL Americans (sexual orientation), and then makes attacks based on hatred of the victim's expression of that characteristic a federal crime, subject to enhanced penalties. Because the language of this measure is neutral with respect to any class of persons, the measure does NOT fall afoul of the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause (Bolling v. Sharpe, 347 U.S. 497 (1954)). ALL persons possess a sexual orientation (whether it be gay, heterosexual, or bisexual) -- therefore this measure does not grant "special rights" to the members of any protected class. Just as an attack by a heterosexual man against a gay person would be punishable under this statute, so too would an attack by a gay person against a heterosexual man be punishable under this statute.

The fact that this measure will be used almost exclusively to protect gay persons from attacks motivated by hatred of homosexuality does nothing to change the plain language of the statute -- all that this does is to reflect the continued, deep antipathy expressed by so many heterosexuals towards their gay fellow citizens.

As for the fact that this measure was attached to a defense appropriations bill -- had Republicans supported this measure in the first place (instead of whining about "special rights" and mounting entirely specious arguments), it would not have been necessary to attach this measure to a defense appropriations bill.

I find it amusing that conservatives have no problem with the existing federal hate crimes law, which provides for severe penalties when acts of violence are perpetrated against people based on race or religion -- it is only when sexual orientation is added to the protective ambit of this measure that those same conservatives start whining and crying foul. This leads me to wonder just how unprincipled these people really are, that they have no objections to this measure until sexual orientation is added to its protective ambit...

For the record -- this measure only punishes ACTS OF VIOLENCE perpetrated against people based on hatred of their sexual orientation -- it cannot and will not be used to silence ministers of religion, priests, etc. who argue that homosexuality is sinful. The US Supreme Court is very clear on this issue -- even advocacy to break the law is protected by the First Amendment, unless such advocacy "...is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action." (see Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969)). Fears that this measure will be used to punish those who disapprove of homosexuality are entirely without foundation.

I do not need to be a special class of people. i just want the same protection and rights as others. No crime should be committed against anyone for any reason, especially for who they are. It is a hate crime if someone is killed because they are black,,,it most definitely should be a hate crime if someone is tortured because they love differently than you. I did not choose to be gay, I fought it most of my life knowing how people feel. Shame on me for not being the person my God created me to be... I am not asking to be treated special,,,,just to be treated fairly.

Ironic how this thought crime bill is attached to a defence bill funding the wars in Afgansistan and Iraq. So are we to expect members of the Pentagon and White House to be rounded up as the first victims of this bill? or are we to expect soldiers going back to the US being criminalised for their hate crimes against the Iraqis and Afganis,

Unfortunately the double standards and broken promises from the Obama administration are mounting very rapidly. Shame because I really thought he would come through on the change he promised so adamantly.

Unfortunately Obama's campaign slogan of YES WE CAN has turned more into I WISH WE COULD

I'm not afraid to say I don't support this. Crime is crime and should be punished equally regardless of the victim. And if the comment above is true that murdering someone because they were a straight white Christian would be a hate crime, then why do we need this? And why is there a reception with "gay rights groups"? Doesn't make sense to me.

On the other hand, I don't plan on murdering or assaulting anyone for any reason, so I'm not too worried about this law.

One thing that is clear is that there is plenty of hatred on BOTH sides as evidenced in these comments.

By the way, God IS Love. God is also just and holy and forgiving. There is a penalty for sin (ALL sin), but if you will accept Jesus as your substitute and Savior, you can experience that forgiveness regardless of your race, gender or orientation. He will take the penalty of that sin for you if you just accept it.

Who says that homosexuality is purely a thought? What is religion? Religion is more of a thought than anything gay related. Name one man who whole heartedly wanted to be with a woman, but somehow chose to go date a man just for the heck of it. NAME ONE. Who would ever chose to live a productive life against their true desires? How is it wrong for a man to have a monogomous relationship (instead of lying to another man's daughter because he has to pretend to be straight)? Are gays not allowed to have faith in Christ and be loved by God as you are? IS GAY A SURPRISE TO OUR FATHER? To say that being gay is a "thought" is undermining anyone associated with homosexuality--a family member, the person themself, a friend, etc. IGNORANCE causes hate, and many people refuse to understand a gay lifestyle because it somehow effects them (which it doesn't). It SHOULD be protected, because YOU AMERICANS have socialy seperated it as a minority (even those against the life style!). RELIGION is a THOUGHT and it's protected...DON'T MAKE YOURSELF OUT TO BE BETTER BECAUSE YOU GOT YOUR LAW FIRST. We're all equal, in the eyes of God and this country that stands under Him. God is Love, don't hate how people love.

Is anyone really surprised by the radical left politicians slipping hate crimes legislation on a Defense Appropriations Bill? Because they have SO much in common!

This is the first time in our history that “thoughts” are now punishable in a court of law. I think it’s appalling to equate a man’s “right” to have sex with another man as equivalent to the rights of black American’s to vote, own property, go to public schools, eat in same restaurants and got to same hospitals as white Americans. You are an idiot if you think they are even close the same.

Let’s get this straight. If I disagree with your sexual lifestyle, that doesn’t mean I hate you! If you disagree with my heterosexual, monogamous marriage based on biblical principles, that doesn’t mean you hate me!

Was it not always illegal to murder a man? Our laws have always imposed the same punishment on murder regardless what color, religion or sexual orientation the victim was. This country has come so far to ensure “Equality and Justice” under the law, only to take a step backwards by creating “protected classes”. Last time I checked, “equal” also means “same”. A murder or assault should impose the same penalty regardless of what race, gender, religion or lifestyle choices.

Are there any members of minority groups who want to be protected AT ANY COST? This bill fits the definition of "throwing out the baby with the bath water".

Read Psalm 139 about 'unfeigned hatred': Geneva Bible version.

awl

Oh my goodness!!! Lock your doors, hide your kids! A law was passed that clearly does not affect me personally, but it is still helping those who are different! My house must be about to burn down, and my food will magically spoil! Only Christians are striaght, so obviously no gay person deserves a "love your neighbors" approach. As a More Holy Than Thou individual, I officially hate this new law. God wrote that we should form a club, keep certain people out, judge them, and hate them because we're too ignorant to respect free will of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We already made provisions to accept adulterers (because it's a stright thing...so it's okay...we're allowed to pick-and-choose what is right, as long as it makes us look good). God was only joking when he said he was Love...it was opposite day that day.

I think this is dangerous. Chipping away at Freedom of Speech will be next. Why do LBGQs need to be a special class of people? I think the law is redundant.

If you are in a church that demands the right to hate, you are in the wrong church.

Why all the hateful comments?
I think this is great.
I think its time we focus on gay rights. As a straight person, I still support equality. Its a civil rights issue. After all, why do we have "with liberty and justice for all" in the pledge of allegence when homosexuals can't enjoy the same rights everyone else gets?
anyways, go obama!
i still support.

This is going to backfire like so many other things the government does.

Things will get worse for everyone now, including the government.

So everyone should wake up and see who is really behind all these laws and why they want them forced upon us, "we the people."