Would This Nice Man and His Daughter Lie to You?

You bet your ass they would. That is Louis Sheldon and his daughter, Andrea Lafferty, of Traditional Values Coalition. They have managed to compile an impressive assortment of lies, innuendo, fear mongering  and distortions into a single email blast. About the only thing that stands up to scrutiny is the fact that there is a hate crimes bill under consideration in the Senate and it is "S.909." Apparently truth is not a traditional value.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED ON ‘JAIL-A-PASTOR/PROTECT-A-PEDOPHILE’ BILL. Your immediate help is needed!!!  -- The Senate Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing on the so-called hate crimes bill (S. 909), the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, this coming Thursday at 10 a.m.

Well that part us accurate too. There is, indeed, a hearing on Thursday morning. Eric Holder is scheduled to testify.

S. 909 is a “jail-a-pastor/protect-a-pedophile,” bill.  It will add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected minority groups under federal law. Neither of these terms are defined in the bill. 

Sexual orientation and sexual identity are clearly defined terms. There is nothing ambiguous about either.

S. 909, the so-called hate crimes bill will protect a multitude of bizarre sexual orientations – including pedophiles and sexual sadists – but will threaten pastors who may give a Biblical teaching on the gay agenda. It ensures that crimes against a transgender, drag queen, gay man or lesbian are treated more harshly than a sexual assault on a child. Under this measure, pedophiles are a protected class. As a result, if a parent assaults a pedophile for molesting a child, the parent can be convicted of a hate crime and receive an enhanced sentence. The Senate version is based on fake “Findings” to justify federal intrusion into local law enforcement.

Utter nonsense and a pants on fire lie. Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, both genders, neither gender, or another gender. Pedophilia is not a sexual orientation.

The Senate version has no religious protection at all. The House version contained fake protections. A pastor’s sermon could be considered ‘hate speech’ under this legislation if heard by an individual who then acts aggressively against persons based on ‘sexual orientation.’ The pastor could be prosecuted for “conspiracy to commit a hate crime.”

False.

(3) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence.

(4) FREE EXPRESSION

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual’s expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual’s membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.

The last time I checked, the First Amendment was still in place. Moreover, Intent or knowledge is a key factor In third-party responsibility for crimes (aiding and abetting - USC 18:2). Indeed, it would constitute an insult to the First Amendment if speakers or publishers could unwittingly cause crimes for which they then could be held responsible. Example: In spite of his vitriolic rhetoric, Randall Terry is not legally responsible for the murder of Dr. Tiller.

During debate over the House version of this bill (H.R. 1913), Democrat Alcee Hastings (FL) admitted that this bill will protect a multitude of bizarre sexual orientations!

False. Congressman Hastings never said anything that could be construed as TVC has suggested.

Don’t be misled.  Representatives and Senators are sending out misinformation about this legislation and what it will do or not do. Claims that it protects religious freedom are false; claims that it doesn’t protect a multitude of bizarre sexual orientations are also false.

… blah, blah, blah and, of course, send us your money! It takes balls on bicycles to tell this many falsehoods and then caution people not to be misled. This should really be an insult to the collective intelligence of their constituency. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to be the case.