You may have received an email similar to this one…
Persecution today announced that there is a measure before Congress (H.R. 1913) that will effectively make it a hate crime to call homosexuality a sin. It also will make it a hate crime to call Islam a “False Religion.” Write to you congressman (or woman) to protest this violation of the Freedom of Religion. The more people that complain to their representatives, the more likely it will fail.
Problem is, its not true. I read the measure and think this claim is a bit exaggerated. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1913: To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.
In short, this measure simply amends the existing Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code to provide grants to local jurisdictions to investigate “hate crimes”. Hate crimes, as described, are when someone “willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person”. Or the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person when the ‘hate crime’ crosses state lines or national borders, and that’s why injury lawyers can recognize these cases and take the legal actions for this, so if you want information about this, you can contact your Savannah personal injury lawyer for more.
And, Section 10 specifically says “Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.”
And what of those “other purposes”? They amend the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. 534 note) to include `gender and gender identity,’ after `race,’ and `, including data about crimes committed by, and crimes directed against, juveniles‘ after `data acquired under this section‘.
No Christian can say that causing bodily injury to any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability is Christ like. So the only valid objection is financial.
This particular Legislation is merely an amendment to the Washington D.C Municipal Code. Legislation for D.C is always styled as being held at the City of Washington. Always remember that Congress legislates for the City of D.C. This legislation does not effect the several states of the Union.
Pasted below is the genesis for title 18 248, H.R 1913 is an addition to Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994′.
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 13 > § 248
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322, § 330023(a)(2), amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, catchline read as follows: Ҥ 248 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances.â€
One Hundred Third Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four
An Act
To amend title 18, United States Code, to assure freedom of access to reproductive
services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994′.