“This is a time for total vigilance and continued protest.”
By Rev. Ted Pike
Defeat of the immigration amnesty bill was an unprecedented populist victory proving again (as with defeat of “grassroots” lobbyist legislation in the House and Senate) that when the American people protest loudly and angrily enough Congress will bend to their will. Yet even more threatening legislation may soon be voted on in Congress.
The federal hate crimes bill S.1105, having overwhelmingly passed the House, remains in the Senate Judiciary Committee awaiting an opening in the legislative docket. Spokespersons for sponsors Sen. Kennedy and Smith say that only because of more pressing legislation has S.1105 been delayed. With 43 co-sponsors, Kennedy’s office says they are confident of enough votes to pass the Senate.
In the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, another “hate crimes” bill, ENDA, The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, H.R.2015, is being readied for movement onto the floor of the House as soon as possible. Although a few of the same feisty Republicans who fought the hate bill in the House are members of the subcommittee, they are numerically overwhelmed by hardline liberals promoting ENDA. I was told by a House Judiciary spokesman that ENDA is being taken very seriously and, like the hate bill, could move forward rapidly.ENDA will empower the federal government to indict a businessperson, landlord, civic organization, etc. for failing to hire or for firing a homosexual because of his or her sexual orientation. H.R.2015 is actually a hate law of the workplace because it will indict a combination of bias against sodomites with violation of the law. This is the definition of a hate crime in 45 U.S. states. H.R.2015 is nearly identical to Oregon ‘s recently passed S.B.2 which makes it a stiffly punished crime to discriminate against homosexuals in housing, employment, use of public facilities, etc. Unlike Oregon ‘s law, however, ENDA would have 50 times the clout, enforcing special protection for homosexuals, transvestites, and transgenders nationwide.
Diminishing Threats?
On a brighter note, two bias and speech crimes bills that loomed as a major threat earlier this year may have subsided. After four months in committee, Henry Waxman’s Executive Branch Reform Act, H.R. 984, which would require 8000+ federal executive branch officials to report any call or communication from concerned citizens, seems to lack enthusiastic support from Democratic leadership. Similarly, the Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act, H.R.808, which would create a vast federal ministry of propaganda funded at $8.4 billion a year, has not moved out of the four committees in which it has resided for four months.
I believe that with popular disapproval of the Democratic congressional performance at an all-time high (about 75 percent) and the huge protest against hate crimes and grassroots-persecuting legislation, the Democrats are having to pull in their horns concerning promotion of these extremely Orwellian and costly leftist bills. Instead, they are concentrating on passage of the two biggest, most threatening hate bills, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act , S.1105, and ENDA, H.R.2015.
How soon will this legislation be brought to a vote? Probably no one knows. There is the possibility, of course, that the hate bill especially may be delayed even longer in hope that the suspicion and ardor of the religious and conservative right will cool. Then in a time of major distraction or emergency, S.1105, perhaps as a rider, could be slipped through to a vote with less notice.
Of one thing we are certain: This is a time for total vigilance and continued protest. These bills, the most dangerous legislation in this Congress, have yet to be defeated. Can we do it? The success of the American people in smashing both the grassroots lobbying bills and now the immigration amnesty bill answers that question with a resounding YES!
Here’s what you can do:
1. Call your Senators toll free at 1-877-851-6437 or toll 1-202-225-3121. Tell them: “Please do not vote for the hate crimes bill S.1105. Hate laws have taken away free speech in Canada and many European countries. If you vote for S.1105, I and my friends will do our best to defeat you in the next election.”
2. Come to http://truthtellers.org/actionplan.html for lists of Senators who might be influenced to vote against hate crimes legislation.
3. Send your Senators and their legislative aides my powerful flyer: Anti-Hate Laws Will Make You a Criminal. Flyer and names are available here at http://truthtellers.org/actionplan.html.
4. Call your House members at the numbers given above. Say: “Please don’t vote for The Employment Nondiscrimination Act, H.R.2015. It is I, not homosexuals, who decides whom I hire or rent to. If you vote for H.R.2015, I and my friends will do our best to defeat you in the next election.”
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Rev. Ted Pike is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watch dog organization.
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 steal it now in the U.S. Congress. Watch Rev. Ted Pike’s http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7217700265038533779&q=ted+pike for $24.90, DVD or VHS, by calling 503-853-3688, or at the address below.
TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on this topic. Call (503) 631-3808.
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