U.S. House votes to expand ‘hate crimes’ laws

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Washington D.C., Apr 30, 2009 / 10:58 pm (CNA).- By a vote of 249-175, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to expand federal “hate crime” laws to include sexual orientation, gender identity, or mental or physical disability.

Current law limits federal jurisdiction over hate crimes to assaults based on race, color, religion or national origin. President Barack Obama asked Congress to pass the Federal Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, saying it would “protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance.”

House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer argued that the crimes “terrorize entire segments of our population and tear at our nation's social fabric.”

Conviction of a hate crime causes additional punishment and would allow the federal government to help state and local authorities investigate “hate crimes,” the Associated Press reports.

During debate on the bill, Rep. Lamar Smith argued the bill was discriminatory.

"All violent crimes must be vigorously prosecuted," Rep. Smith said. "Unfortunately, this bill undermines one of the most basic principles of our criminal justice system -- 'equal justice for all.'"

"Justice will now depend on the race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other protected status of the victim," Smith said. "It will allow different penalties to be imposed for the same crime."

President George W. Bush had helped stop the bill in the last Congress, arguing existing state and federal laws were adequate.

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio said that all violent crimes should be prosecuted vigorously, but argued the legislation “places a higher value on some lives compared to others. That is unconstitutional, and that is wrong. Republicans believe that all life was created equally, and all life should be defended equally.”

He said he was particularly concerned about the implications the legislation would have on religious groups expressing their beliefs.

“Simply put, this bill is not only a threat to the constitutional principle of equal justice under the law, but to religious freedom of speech as well,” he added.

Comments: 9

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Barbara
Frazier Park, CA 06/13/2009 11:02 AM EST

Could someone please give me an example of a murder, assault, rape etc. that ISN'T a hate crime? It is the facts of a case that should be considered, not the background of a perpetrator or victim. "All...are equal, but some are more equal than others."--George Orwell

Published by: margaret khan
Edmond, OK, USA 05/16/2009 01:15 PM EST

This legislation is just a tool for the globalists to go after the people who get in their way

Published by: young preacher
USA 05/05/2009 09:44 AM EST

This law is a threat to us all. i don't believe in gay marriage. i have stood against it and preached against it. And because God said he comes before all others, i will continue to do so even if this is passed. Do i promote hate against them? NO! I preach i wish they were there at church so i could preach to them too. do i believe what they are doing is right? no! it is a sin, and furthermore it affects the safety of our children. They have the same rights as any other, if they are beat, or whatever, the laws against assualt will protect them, their way of life will not affect it. but this will break the constitution where they said freedom of speach, religious freedom, and separation of church and state. the government should have no say as to what is taught and preached in or by a church. yes if the pastor gets up and says go out and beat someone, he should get in trouble. but if he just gets up and says, hey being gay is a sin, by the Word of God. and you should obstain from such action. then he has hurt no one, and that is his right by the constitution. so i say this law should be dropped. and if they pass it, then i think the ones who pass it should be taken to court for discrimination against religion and belief. May God Bless the USA and the World, and may he guide the government to turn this law away! God Bless!

Published by: Raymond Peringer
Toronto, Canada 05/01/2009 10:27 PM EST

"Hate crime" is yet another of the illegitimate offspring of human rights laws.

All someone needs is a glib lawyer and a with-it judge, and he gets a bag of money for his hurt feelings, or a criminal conviction against some he doesn't like.

We have never been able properly to define "happiness", how does the law expect adequately to define "hate"?

What such legislation produces is people who can play the role of victim. For a good show, they will win their case. Do gooders, bleeding hearts and activist judges refuse to acknowledge the limitations of law.

Published by: Kevin P
California 05/01/2009 03:05 PM EST

As this law stands, if someone commits a hate crime and says, "My Pastor or boy scout leader or parent said... and so I did this because "he/she" said it was wrong", then they can prosecute "he/she" for 'inciting' a hate crime. How can this be good. This law was modeled after a Swedish law and Sweden currently has a number of Pastors in jail for 'inciting' a hate crime.

Published by: Lynn
Carbondale, IL 05/01/2009 03:02 AM EST

The Dems just don't get it do they?? Their line of thinking is disordered and fundamentally flawed.

When the People with Disabilities Act was passed it did nothing to positively change the public's perception of this class of people as an integrated & accepted part of society as a whole...it merely gave them the right to prosecute infractions against them in court.

No, it didn't work for the disabled & it won't work for the homosexual community or battered women of domestic violence either.

Published by: DAVID LARSEN
SCITUATE MASS 05/01/2009 01:53 AM EST

SO MISS CALIFORNIA COULD HAVE A CASE FOR A HATE CRIME BECAUSE OF HER HETEROSEXUAL ORIENTATION AND FAITH IN GOD. SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A LEADING QUESTION THAT PUT HER ON THE SPOT. TO SAY THAT SHE WAS BROUGHT UP TO BELIEVE MARRIAGE TO BE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN IS HER RIGHT AND NO-ONE SHOULD CHALLENGE HER FOR THIS. SHE HAS SUFFERED A HATE CRIME AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROSECUTE THOSE WHO MADE HER FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IN A NATIONAL EVENT. A BEAUTY PAGENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! SHE PROBABLY WONT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE SHE IS A CHRISTIAN.

Published by: Gregg
Chattanooga, Tennessee 05/01/2009 01:51 AM EST

You can have religious beliefs, but you can't use those beliefe to hurt or kill other people and that is what is happening now.

Published by: athair_siochain
Australia 05/01/2009 01:04 AM EST

This bill will allow freedom to question the Isreali/Jewish theft of Palestine land, bringing equal justice to the Middle East, the media will be more honest,

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