By Rev. Ted Pike
Last Monday morning a representative of Sen. Gordon Smith (co-sponsor with Kennedy of the federal “anti-hate” bill) told me that if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid got the chance he wanted to pass the hate bill before the Senate disbanded for summer. Reid’s chance didn’t come. A tight-packed legislative calendar may have stopped him from introducing the divisive and time-consuming hate bill.
Also, the American people again protested. By Monday night, I had been interviewed on nine national radio broadcasts, warning that the hate bill might not be delayed till September but might be introduced as early as Tuesday. Quickly, this threat topped discussion on alternative talk radio nationwide.
On Pat Kiley’s “Follow the Money” (90 affiliates) the message went primarily to evangelicals. On the largest talk show website in the world, www.rense.com (15 million visits monthly), as well as Rense’s radio program and its many affiliates, my call to protest was heard by patriots, largely of the religious and “far” right. Prominent voices from alternative talk radio broadcast the threat; they included Jack Blood and Dr. Stanley Monteith of Genesis Radio Network and John Stadtmiller and Rick Adams of the Republic Network. As a result, thousands of calls reminded senators that Americans don’t want the hate bill and will vote out politicians who approve Orwellian restrictions on freedom.
Unlike several weeks ago (when the evangelical right learned that Sens. Kennedy and Smith were attempting to attach the hate bill to the federal Arms Reappropriations Bill), conservative Christian leaders didn’t join this fight. They were probably concerned that Reid hadn’t made his intentions explicit, nor had the Republican leadership in the Senate. Also, they may have wanted to save evangelicals’ limited powers of protest for a massive push when Congress reconvenes in September.
However, I was free to take action because of the audiences of alternative talk radio. At least a half a million Americans tune in to shortwave or internet radio for truth unavailable elsewhere. Alternative talk radio serves a much higher concentration of thinkers and activists than mainstream religious media. I knew that, as a force unto themselves, they would heed my call. They did. The calls from alternative talk radio audiences functioned powerfully to restrain possible hate bill introduction.
Most members of the Senate had no idea why they were besieged against the hate bill again during the last hours of this session. The message was clear: Americans care greatly and take no chances with the hate bill. This powerfully teaches Reid, Kennedy and Smith that they won’t be able to swiftly and quietly slip in the hate bill before Republican senators have a chance to marshal opposition. Republican senators were also reminded of the pulsating outrage their voters feel about the hate bill; we expect them to battle it on the Senate floor at any time.
Thus, last week’s protest may have decisively convinced pro-hate bill leaders that the issue was too problematic and would incite Republican debate, filibuster, vote on cloture, etc. – bringing the Senate to a possible standstill in its last hours of the session.
Thank you, faithful listeners and talk show hosts—especially you of alternative talk radio—for standing up for freedom in this jeopardous time! The federal hate bill is by far the most dangerous legislation ever to come before Congress. Its threat is of such magnitude that if we err it should be on the side of over-vigilance.
You are a fighting force that does not weary of hearing the whole truth or of being roused to battle. I’ll call on you again in September.
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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.
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