By Gudrun Schultz
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An upcoming bill before the U.S. House of Representatives would make sexual orientation a special right that would receive particular federal protection along with rights of race, religion and gender.
Introduced on Jan. 5, 2007, by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, HR 254 would establish a new federal offence for hate crimes, mandating a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses with the possibility of life imprisonment for crimes motivated by “the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of any person.”
Among concerns raised about the bill is the likelihood that such legislation would lead to increasing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of religion in America, with public opposition to homosexuality prohibited.
The American Family Association warned that, if passed, the legislation would open the door to a ban on church preaching against homosexuality and the loss of tax-exempt status for churches who opposed the homosexual lifestyle.
The proposed legislation would violate the concept of equal protection under the law by giving more government protection to particular classes of people, the AFA pointed out, and would constitute an overreach of federal power by permitting federal government intervention into local and state affairs.
The AFA is requesting that US citizens contact their federal representatives, saying, “The only way to stop this onslaught on Christian values and Christianity is a national uprising against HR 254, saying enough is enough!”
AFA statement on Hate Crimes legislation:
https://www.afa.net/hatecrimes.asp
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
Attempt to Defeat “Homophobic Hate Crimes” Legislation Fails in House of Lords
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jan/07011202.html
Homosexual Hate Crime Signed into Law; Chilling Effect on Free Speech, Religion and Importing Materials
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/apr/04042901.html