http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/index.html
This Wednesday, on October 28th, President Obama finally signed the law that declared assaults on individuals because of their sexual orientation or identity to be a federal hate crime. It’s almost pathetic to think that just a few days ago, our laws basically turned a blind eye to the deliberate hurting of someone because they were gay or transgendered. How could that possibly not be a hate crime? I suppose some people will never see Matthew Shepard, who was brutally attacked and murdered because he was gay, as a victim of some sort of hatred. I’m glad to see that President Obama and his plans for the seeds of change are finally seeing fruit. I remember on his campaign trail, his views on such social reforms were very vague and cloudy. He spoke with tremendous gusto and eloquence, but there was never really a time I can recall where I had heard him outline a plan for any type of legislation like this.
Included in this legislation is a statement, which protects religious leaders from being persecuted on the bases of their speeches and beliefs. Numerous Christian broadcasters are worried that this will be used to silence them, because they can be considered a co-conspirator in a hate crime because of their views. I find this notion to be a little ridiculous. This legislation is protecting the civil rights of Americans, yet these broadcasters are selfishly nitpicking and assuming they’ll be getting a bad part of the deal. They believe that they will be censored on their harsh views on homosexuality, and regardless of my opinion on the matter, that won’t be the case. These commentators seem to be forgetting our first amendment, the Freedom of Speech, which protects them from this. It just seems like some sort of last-ditch complaining about the bill because of the general Christian belief on homosexuality.
As Christian televangelist Pat Robertson so kindly stated, “The noose has tightened around the necks of Christians”. Apparently legislation that puts forth social progress in our country is adversely affecting the religious community. This is also the person who stated that gay marriage would eventually lead to the, ”legalization of polygamy, beastiality, child molestation, and pedophilia”. Yes, this legislation provides hate crimes protection, but I don’t think we’ll ever see our country completely without the ignorance of Pat Robertson-types. Homosexuality is not a moral issue. Therefore, calling it a moral issue is out-of-line.
This legislation was necessary in our country, "…because no one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love," as Obama said. While it is a landmark step forward socially and for the LGBT community, it is a little ridiculous that it took this long for a law like this to be passed.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=740586
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/30/robertson-noose-hatecrimes/
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