Spring Break
Conservative Christians fighting hate-crimes bill
Tiffany Stanley/Religion News Service
Issue date: 6/28/09 Section: Divine Intervention
WASHINGTON - Conservative Christian leaders are fighting a bill that would provide federal hate-crimes coverage to gays and lesbians, prompting questions of who, if anyone, should be protected by such laws.
With a Democrat-controlled Congress and a president who has indicated his support for the Matthew Shepard Act, time may be running out for the bill's opponents. To stop the legislation, a few Christian leaders have suggested repealing all hate-crimes law, which would undo historic protections for race and even religion.
"The entire notion of hate-crimes legislation is extraneous and obsolete," said Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with the conservative nonprofit Liberty Counsel, adding that he believes hate-crimes laws are unconstitutional.
In addition, a number of Christian conservatives have raised fears that pastors would be prosecuted for inciting hate crimes if they had preached against homosexuality, despite assurances that the law only targets physical violence.
"All violent crime is hate crime," said Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at Family Research Council here in the capital. "What drives an individual to commit a violent crime but hate for their victim?"
Hate crimes are only named as such when victims are targeted specifically because of their race, color, religion or national origin. Convictions for hate crimes carry harsher sentences because the victimization goes beyond the individual targeted.
"If you burn a cross on someone's lawn, or put a swastika on a synagogue, the intent is not just vandalism," said David Stacy, senior public policy advocate of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, a strong backer of the bill. "It's to send a message to intimidate the community."
Many religious groups publicly support the Matthew Shepard Act, even if their denominations view homosexuality as sinful. A 2007 Gallup poll showed a majority of Americans (68 percent) favor expanding hate-crimes protections. Majorities of frequent churchgoers (62 percent), conservatives (57 percent), and Republicans (60 percent) also were in favor of the legislation.
With a Democrat-controlled Congress and a president who has indicated his support for the Matthew Shepard Act, time may be running out for the bill's opponents. To stop the legislation, a few Christian leaders have suggested repealing all hate-crimes law, which would undo historic protections for race and even religion.
"The entire notion of hate-crimes legislation is extraneous and obsolete," said Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with the conservative nonprofit Liberty Counsel, adding that he believes hate-crimes laws are unconstitutional.
In addition, a number of Christian conservatives have raised fears that pastors would be prosecuted for inciting hate crimes if they had preached against homosexuality, despite assurances that the law only targets physical violence.
"All violent crime is hate crime," said Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at Family Research Council here in the capital. "What drives an individual to commit a violent crime but hate for their victim?"
Hate crimes are only named as such when victims are targeted specifically because of their race, color, religion or national origin. Convictions for hate crimes carry harsher sentences because the victimization goes beyond the individual targeted.
"If you burn a cross on someone's lawn, or put a swastika on a synagogue, the intent is not just vandalism," said David Stacy, senior public policy advocate of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, a strong backer of the bill. "It's to send a message to intimidate the community."
Many religious groups publicly support the Matthew Shepard Act, even if their denominations view homosexuality as sinful. A 2007 Gallup poll showed a majority of Americans (68 percent) favor expanding hate-crimes protections. Majorities of frequent churchgoers (62 percent), conservatives (57 percent), and Republicans (60 percent) also were in favor of the legislation.
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