Politics
Wednesday July 11, 2007
Capitol Hill Rally to Protest New "Hate Crimes" Legislation a Success
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By Elizabeth O'Brien
WASHINGTON, DC, July 11, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Various Christian, pro-life groups met today and yesterday for a rally and press conference protesting the new "hate crimes" legislation that is being considered in the U.S. Senate.
Participant groups included Repent America, Philadelphia 11, Elijah Ministries, BOND, Minutemen United, Pass the Salt Ministries, America Asleep Know More, Restoring America, and Life and Liberty Ministries. They formed a joint effort to voice the concerns of Christians throughout America about the pending "hate crime" bill, S 1105.
Michael Marcavage, president of Repent America, told LifeSiteNews.com that the rally was "exceptional" and that participants had a "powerful time." According to Marcavage, approximately 100 participants divided into three different teams. The first team approached the Senate buildings and offices and ensured that every Senator received an information package regarding the "hate crimes" bill. The second group was a public witness team that distributed information on the streets. The third team visited the Department of Justice with concerns about future problems that could arise from Bill S 1105.
A major concern with the Federal "hate crime" bill is that it will give the Department of Justice the ability to step in and help local prosecutors with "hate crime" cases. As Marcavage explained, the Department of Justice trains officers how to mediate conflicts between homosexuals and Christians. Part of the training included is that in the case of an encounter in a public environment, the officer is instructed to remove the Christian.
According to Marcavage, they do not know the exact time the bill will be voted on. "What we're doing is taking this two day opportunity to come to Washington to take a stand publicly. To encourage people cross the country to call, fax and email their senators, explaining that they need to vote against any "hate crimes" legislation." He concluded, "We're going to continue this effort until we find where things end up."
Also known as the Matthew Shepard Bill (named after a young homosexual who was killed by an act of violence), S 1105 is the Senate version of H.R.1592 that passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this May, the Christian Post reports. The new bill made several additions to the existing "hate crime" law including "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the list of possible hate crimes.
This April the Democrats forced through Bill H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and at the same time, mowed down attempts to add an amendment protecting the rights of religious and freedom of speech when speaking out on homosexuality (see http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07042601.html).
The White House issued a statement saying that the bill was "unnecessary" and "constitutionally questionable." It is also redundant, for "State and local criminal laws already provide criminal penalties for the violence addressed by the new Federal crime." At present, the President has promised to veto the bill if it passes the Senate.
Read related LifeSiteNews coverage:
ABC 20/20 Report Says Matthew Shepard Killed During Robbery Not Anti-Gay Hate Crime
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/nov/04111208.html
Democrats Refuse Religious Freedom Amendment to Hate Crimes Bill
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07042601.html
CWA Claims Fake "Hate Crimes" Being Used to Force Legislation through Congress
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07041107.html
President Bush Promises to Veto Homosexual Hate Crime Bill if Passed
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07050302.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 - 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 218 to 215
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.