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Senate votes big expansion of federal hate crimes

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posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 12:08 AM
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Senate votes big expansion of federal hate crimes


www.google.com

The Senate on Thursday approved the most sweeping expansion of federal hate crimes law since Congress responded four decades ago to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The legislation, backed by President Barack Obama, would extend federal protections granted under the 1968 hate crimes law to cover those physically attacked because of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 12:08 AM
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This is total BS. This make minorities above everyone else... now there's a super-class of citizens.

It will also go 7 years into the past of any radio host. Radio hosts will receive new directives by the FCC on what to say or not. If let's say...someone listen to Glenn Beck, or Lou Dobbs, or whatever...and let's say Lou Dobbs says that the FEDs and Goldman Sachs are just a bunch of bank robbers...and some nut go and kill Bernanke... Lou Dobbs or Glenn Beck could be prosecuted under this law.

This is totally outrageous. Radio hosts across the nations said they would not comply... we'll see about that.

Hopefully it will be overturned in the supreme court. It violates two amendment in the constitution.

The first...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


And the Fourteenth Amendment:

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.


www.google.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 17-7-2009 by Vitchilo]



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 12:33 AM
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Bye bye freedom of speech.
Well, for Americans. Us Canadians have it comin' soon!



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 12:42 AM
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If you can't beat em, join em. Get your skin pigment changed to something other than white, wear a dress and pretend to be gay. You will be the safest guy in America.



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 12:57 AM
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Originally posted by Vitchilo

Senate votes big expansion of federal hate crimes


www.google.com

The Senate on Thursday approved the most sweeping expansion of federal hate crimes law since Congress responded four decades ago to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The legislation, backed by President Barack Obama, would extend federal protections granted under the 1968 hate crimes law to cover those physically attacked because of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
(visit the link for the full news article)




So, would this happen to apply towards politically motivated ad hominem assassination attempts such as the one that was leveled at Sarah Palin this past campaign season?



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 01:08 AM
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It appears the law does say the victim must be physically attacked which means words alone are not enough for prosecution.



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 01:25 AM
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It will also go 7 years into the past of any radio host. Radio hosts will receive new directives by the FCC on what to say or not.


What?!?

It says nothing about radio hosts.
Unless, I suppose, they're physically attacking people...

Where did you get that idea?

Let me guess... that fountain of fine edutainment known as talk radio



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 07:48 AM
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Originally posted by Make Speed Limit 45
It appears the law does say the victim must be physically attacked which means words alone are not enough for prosecution.


Yes but if a radio show personality (for example) had been talking about something and someone goes and physically attacks someone else because of a twisted interpretation of what the radio show said, then the radio show personality is also guilty.

This is not right and will greatly limit freedom of speech in this country but only from white straight people. The same acts on the flip side of the coin, will not result in legal action.



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 08:08 AM
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"The bill could potentially imperil the free speech rights of Christians who choose to speak out against homosexuality — which could even be extended to preaching against it," The Christian Coalition of America said in a statement.

upporters countered that prosecutions under the bill can occur only when bodily injury is involved, and no minister or protester could be targeted for expressing opposition to homosexuality, even if their statements are followed by another person committing a violent action.

To emphasize the point, the Senate passed provisions restating that the bill does not prohibit constitutionally protected speech and that free speech is guaranteed unless it is intended to plan or prepare for an act of violence.



If this is the case does that mean only christians will be able to retain their free speech or does it reply to everyone? I would assume it replies to everyone and that it debunks the part of radio hosts saying something and someone else killing a person they talked about....

[edit on 17-7-2009 by tasim]



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 09:28 AM
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reply to post by tasim
 


That's a good point and I'm glad to see that. It would appear that it protects everyone. However, why isn't that in the bill itself if that is the true intention?

[edit on 17/7/2009 by Iamonlyhuman]



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 09:35 AM
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This has got to be one of the stupidest laws ever passsed!!!!


Isn't every crime against another person technically a "hate" crime...I mean, you wouldn't kill or assault someone you liked, would you? At least, most people wouldn't, anyway.

We already have laws against killing or hurting other people. Why not just enforce those, or make the penalties harsher across the board, without having to define some BS protected class! We don't need more laws, we just need to enforce the ones already on the books!


Political correctness is killing America!!!


[edit on 17-7-2009 by keeb333]



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 02:12 PM
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reply to post by Vitchilo
 


Not only was this bill controversial, but the way they got this bill passed was anything but "Transparent":


Sen. Patrick Leahy's hate crimes bill, amending the National Defense Authorization Act, effectively passed the Senate tonight at about eleven o'clock p.m. EDT. A call for cloture, or termination of debate after thirty hours, was passed 63 to 28. Clearly, the Senate majority had spoken. Once cloture is invoked there is usually little more that can be done to resist. There was no floor debate. A complete end run had been done around adequate Senate hearings, a Mark-up session and Rules Committee debate. Total Senate debate of the hate bill amounted to little more than a brief "kangaroo" hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee several weeks ago. Witnesses, which included Attorney General Eric Holder were stacked 4 to 2 against conservatives.

rense.com...

This tactic, of hiding a controversial bill deep within an AMENDMENT of another bill, shows how devious our Congress has become.

What ever happened to the Dem's and Obama's promise of Transparency?
What a joke. The United States Congress and Administration make the old Soviet Union look like an open and honest government, in comparison.




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