EMERGENCY ALERT ! ! !

HATE BILL FACES VOTE THURSDAY

By Rev. Ted Pike

           House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced today that federal hate crime bill H.R. 1592 is tentatively scheduled for a vote Thursday, May 3.  This, appropriately, is the National Day of Prayer.

           Democrats control the House. A wide majority, which includes many Republicans, favors the bill. Without overwhelming pressure from the American people, this Orwellian legislation is certain to pass.

Feisty Republicans Resist Hate Bill

           There is some hope. This week Republicans showed astonishing and plucky resistance to the hate bill in the House Judiciary Committee.  For the past two days, Republican members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and the full Judiciary Committee doggedly argued against H.R. 1592. They strategized to water it down through numerous amendments. 

           On Tuesday in the Subcommittee on Crime, Rep. Louis Gohmert offered a day's worth of strong objections. In the House Judiciary Committee, during a 10-hour marathon session yesterday, no less than 11 Republicans offered amendments.(1)  They sought to strip such vague and dangerous terminology as "gender identity" and demanded that the bill be clearly identified as a "speech crime" bill.  At the end of the day Democrats approved H.R. 1592 unaltered, but the Republicans presented powerful and articulate opposition to this Orwellian, free speech-destroying legislation.

           Where did all this Republican fight come from?  Since 1988 when the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith first introduced the Hate Crimes Prevention Act I have watched Republicans blithely let it move through Congress, confident their majority would strip it later in conference between the House and Senate. In fact, in spring 2004 Sen. Gordon Smith, speaking to the Senate, expressed pleasure at the lack of Republican opposition. He saw this as evidence of the hate bill�s worth. Is it any wonder the bill passed the Senate 65 to 37? A year and a half ago, hate bill amendment 2662 sailed through Judiciary virtually unopposed and was approved by the House of Representatives in only 45 minutes!

Rising Concern among Republicans

           I called the offices of the 11 Republicans who proposed amendments last night and asked whether concern was indeed rising over the hate bill.  Several informed sources gave a resounding yes!  One reason, they speculate, is that Republicans are now without power to strip the bill later in conference, so they must fight it from the outset.  It is clear from the Judiciary proceedings last night that many Republicans today are highly educated about the details of the hate bill and its threat to freedom.

           How did they become so well informed?  I believe the many thousands of my flyer Hate Crimes: Making Criminals of Christians sent to Congress and their legislative aides have powerfully stimulated research, doubt and action against the hate bill.

Can We Defeat H.R. 1592?

           Yet is such resolve going to defeat H.R. 1592 when it comes to a vote, probably next Thursday?  A staff member told me the Republicans hope to propose the same amendments to the bill on the floor of the House. The problem, another staffer informed me, is that the House Rules Committee can limit discussion of H.R. 1592 to only one hour and then require an up or down vote. The House Rules Committee is in Speaker Pelosi's pocket; its nine Democrats overpower four Republicans.

           Clearly, the only way to defeat H.R. 1592 is by persuading a majority to vote against it. This is an unlikely and staggering task. Yet our only hope, besides an act of God, is that massive protest will convince pro-hate bill Representatives that the most politically safe option is to vote with the people, for freedom. 

           It is vital that you call your House member at 1-877-851-6437 toll free or toll at 1-202-224-3121. The message you send should be blunt:

           Please don't vote for any hate crimes legislation.  If you do, I will never vote for you again.

Endnotes:

Republicans who contested H.R. 1592 by offering amendments are: Trent Franks, Steve Chabot, Jim Jordan, Tom Feeney, Mike Pence, Steve King, Louie Gohmert, Lamar Smith, Randy Forbes, Bob Goodlatte, and James Sensenbrenner.
 

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           Rev. Ted Pike is the director of the National Prayer Network, a national Christian/conservative watchdog organization.

           Come to www.truthtellers.org for much more information on how you can help save free speech in America.

           Let the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith teach you how they have saddled 45 states with hate laws capable of persecuting Christians: http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp.

           Learn how ADL took away free speech in Canada and wants to do it right now in the U.S. Congress. Watch Rev. Ted Pike's Hate Laws: Making Criminals of Christians at video.google.com. Purchase this gripping documentary to show at church. Order online at www.truthtellers.org for $24.90, DVD or VHS, by calling 503-853-3688, or at the address below.

           TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on the threat of the federal hate bill. Call 503-631-3808.