Outrageous Hate Crime Bill Railroaded Through the Senate

"The most open, most honest, most ethical Congress in history," as Nancy Pelosi hilariously calls it, characteristically silenced all debate again, this time on the extreme, blatantly unconstitutional hate crimes bill (S. 909) that had threatened to criminalize all dissent against gays and other special classes of citizens (Democrat constituents).

It was rushed through despite massive nationwide protests, without any chance for the opposition to question, challenge, or object to it in any way. Still, the widespread public uproar on this did force a major concession from this persistently anti-speech Congress--a concession that nullified virtually everything regular Americans were worried about.

From Rev. Ted Pike:

Senator Sam Brownback submitted an amendment which would include in the hate bill the most specific statement (part of the “Religious Freedom Act,” passed in 1993 by Congress 97-3) that only speech that threatens imminent incitement of violence will be punishable under the hate bill. Speech that falls short of such actual incitement will be protected.

Sen. Leahy earlier said he had no problem with inclusion of Brownback’s amendment. Although he voted against it, the amendment passed overwhelmingly 78-13. Approval of Brownback’s amendment is a great victory, testimony to the pressure put on liberals even in the past two days. Most Senate Democrats were clearly eager to mollify, to some degree, the overwhelming anger at the hate bill from their constituents this week. Their House counterparts, under far less pressure eleven weeks ago, would never have made such a concession.

Inclusion of Brownback’s amendment should help safeguard free speech from the pulpit or airwaves, except in the cases of the most blatant, immediate incitement to violence. It helps neutralize the extremely threatening language of the 1968 hate crimes law, Title 18, sec. 2A, which says if anyone “induces,” through speech, commission of a violent hate crime the speaker will be tried “as a principal” alongside the active offender in federal court.

S. 909 remains a massive invasion of state’s rights in law enforcement in violation of the 10th Amendment. It violates the 14th Amendment by exalting certain groups, including homosexual pedophiles, above the majority. But, thanks to massive pressure on liberal Senators, especially during the last two days, and the initiative of Sen. Brownback, at least the 1st Amendment may not be as imminently threatened as before.

Incidentally, imagine having to fight this hard to stop Republicans from banning all forms of public speech by liberals (as with the left's campus speech codes, the "Fairness" Doctrine, Card Check, etc.). They could shut down the entire news media, academia, and Hollywood all in one fell swoop...

...How fortunate for these tyrants that their opponents (regular Americans/conservatives) stand for something more than their own power.