Posted by
Playful Walrus on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 12:36:04 PM
I’m presenting a series here called Exposing the Religious Right.
The introduction/first installment is
here.
The second installment, discussing the motivations/starting points of the RR is
here.
The Religious Right: Hate Crime Legislation is WrongThe RR is against “hate crime” legislation that adds additional penalties when the victims are apparently targeted because of some class, such as their race, sexual orientation, or affiliation with Islam, or that assigns legal culpability to “hate speech” for subsequent “hate crimes”. They, like many others, maintain that it is wrong to single out certain crime victims for some sort of privileged class, or to legally judge someone’s thoughts or feelings. Unwelcome violence against others or their property, unless in self defense, should not receive less punishment just because the perpetrator isn’t a bigot or the victim isn’t a member of a specially protected class.
Especially troubling to the RR is legislation that would go against the First Amendment (religious and speech freedoms) by attempting to suppress speech against homosexual behavior, pretending to be the other sex, and Islam, especially since the RR bases some of their criticisms on teachings from the Bible.
When “hate crime” legislation is used to try to suppress conscientious opposition, the RR will not sit by silently.
Two recent columns on Tonwhall.com by
LaShawn Barber and
Chuck Colson illustrate some of the thinking of the RR on this issue.
However,
Tammy Bruce, a proud lesbian, who is certainly not a member of the RR, has also written extensively against the “thought police” who push for this kind of legislation.
The RR’s solution to “hate crime” attacks is not to restrict speech, but rather prosecute vigorously those to physically attack a person or his or her property, regardless of who the perpetrator is or who the victim is. That is
truly equal protection under the law.