By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer

Sen. Patrick Leahy announced yesterday that he will introduce the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization bill this week.

This controversial hate crimes legislation expands coverage of existing hate crimes legislation to cover crimes based on a person’s “actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.” It also expands situations in which the federal government can prosecute hate crimes. For instance, the bill is worded in such a way that pastors who preach against homosexuality could end up prosecuted if they are found to have “induced” a hate-crime against a self-identified homosexual by preaching from the Bible.

Ashley Horne, federal issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.

“Gay activists have and will continue to use these kinds of laws to silence Christians who speak publicly about God’s design for human sexuality – and make them pay if they stand up for their beliefs,” she said.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said he plans to offer the legislation “to address the serious and growing problem of hate crimes.” But Horne said Leahy doesn’t have accurate information.

“The latest numbers from the FBI from 2007 show us there’s no dramatic increase in hate crimes across the country – and, specifically, no dramatic increase over the years in sexual-orientation hate crimes, either in raw numbers or percentages,” Horne said. “So, this bill is a solution looking for a problem.”

Horne said there are probably enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill and is urging concerned citizens to contact their representatives immediately.

To contact your Senator, visit http://capwiz.com/fof/issues/alert/?alertid=13283021

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