.- Concerned Women for America (CWA) expressed relief yesterday when a judge dismissed all counts against four men in a state hate crime case. The men, members of the Christian group Repent America, were charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors, stemming from their preaching of the Gospel during a homosexual street fair in October, as per the Pennsylvania's Ethnic Intimidation Law.
"When Pennsylvania lawmakers added sexual orientation to the law in 2003, pro-family leaders warned that it could be used against Christians to suppress freedom of speech, religion and assembly," Robert Knight, director of CWA's Culture & Family Institute.
“Now, we hope lawmakers will take a second look and pass a bill removing that portion of the hate crimes act,” he said.
“These cases show how hate crime laws can easily be abused by overzealous liberal authorities," he said.
Similar charges against a 17-year-old girl are expected to be dropped as well.
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
