GAY ACTIVISTS USING BOY’S MURDER TO FURTHER AGENDA

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (LSN) – US Attorney General Janet Reno jumped on the gay activist bandwagon again yesterday using the murder of homosexual Wyoming student Matthew Shepard as an impetus to for federal hate crimes legislation, as well as to include “sexual orientation” in such legislation.  The proposal has little to do with physical violence which is already addressed in the law, having more significance as a tool of intimidation against the freedom to express opinions contrary to the acceptance of homosexual sexual activity. The agenda of the gay activist movement in this regard was clearly demonstrated in comments by Katie Couric, of NBC’s “Today” program. Last Monday, Couric posed extremely biased questions to Governor Jim Geringer regarding hate crimes and homosexuality including the following:  “And finally Governor some gay rights activists have said that some conservative political organizations like the Christian Coalition, the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family are contributing to this anti-homosexuality atmosphere by having an ad campaign saying if you are a homosexual you can change your orientation. That prompts people to say if I meet someone who’s homosexual I’m going to take action and try to convince them or try to harm them. Do you believe that such groups are contributing to this climate?”  American Family Association (AFA) president Donald Wildmon condemned the exploitation of the murder victim by the homosexual lobby and the often militant condemnation issued against Christians in the wake of the tragedy. “Gay activists have no shame, exploiting the death of a young man to ratchet up the rhetoric for one of their pet political projects,” he said. “To engage in the mental gymnastics necessary to link those redemptive newspaper ads with this crime – and then to demand hate crime legislation –  clearly demonstrates that the real motivation behind such hate crime laws is to silence Christians,” he continued. “Gays will now feel free to blame any crime against a homosexual on Christians, ending all reasonable public discussion regarding homosexuality.”  Mr. Wildmon joined a wide array of Christian and other pro-family leaders who condemned the murder of Mr.  Shepard and praised the police for their swift work apprehending those believed to be responsible for the crime.