Republican Political Hackery and the Hate Crimes Bill »
Posted By Spadecaller 6 months ago in NewsTo derail hate crimes legislation with political trickery, Republicans led by Rep. Steve King (R-Batshittia) introduced an amendment to the hate crimes bill calling for the term "sexual orientation" to exclude "pedophiles" even though the bill specifically defines sexual orientation as "consensual homosexuality or heterosexuality." Pedophilia, as everyone knows, is nonconsensual no matter who engages in it. Promoting the derogatory stereotype that homosexuals are pedophiles, the amendment would've further validated this stereotype by writing it into the legal record.
In support of this devious amendment, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh accused Democrats of protecting pedophiles. King's devious amendment proposal invited Sean Hannity to repeat throughout his Tuesday show, “Is it safe to say that Democrats were willing to protect pedophiles?" Limbaugh, meanwhile, remarked that the Democrats are "carving out protection for perverts."
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Spadecaller
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Spadecaller6 months ago
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Perhaps the worst thing about the conduct demonstrated by proposing this insincere amendment to the hate crime bill, is that it makes a mockery of the legislative process at the expense of the rights of all taxpayers. Of course, it is wrong to stereotype gay people by using the association that they are pedophiles. However, the nation is finally coming out of the dark ages and learning to accept gay people as equals deserving equal rights and respect.
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The Grand Obsolete Party (GOP) has tried these ploys before; fortunately they are no longer working. Most of us do not want to see any political party earn influence by tricking voters into believing such nonsense- that Democrats are pro-pedophilia.
The real shame is that we have sent politicians to Washington like these Republicans who show no respect for the process of legislating. The time has come to throw these bums out of office once and for all.
Using this bill to exploit the Democrats for political points is really shameful because it shows a complete lack of concern for the victims of hate crimes and for the voters who have put these hacks in office.
We have put these representatives in office to legislate honestly - not to build careers on the backs of those they demonize falsely. Using legislation to undermine the opposite party is a disgusting display of poor ethical standards.
Rep. Steve King and those that supported his legislation owe the voters and this country an apology for exploiting the system that they swore to honor and protect.
Time to send these politicians home.-
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hyperbola6 months ago
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Well Spade, actually any patriotic American who believes in our democracy should vehemently reject "hate crimes" legislation. We do NOT need the government telling us what to think.
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Criminalizing Criticism of Israel - The End of Free Speech
http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/05/07/criminal...
On October 16, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Israel Lobby’s bill, the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act. This legislation requires the US Department of State to monitor anti-semitism world wide.
To monitor anti-semitism, it has to be defined. What is the definition? Basically, as defined by the Israel Lobby and Abe Foxman, it boils down to any criticism of Israel or Jews.
Rahm Israel Emanuel hasn’t been mopping floors at the White House.
As soon as he gets the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 passed, it will become a crime for any American to tell the truth about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and theft of their lands.
It will be a crime to report the extraordinary influence of the Israel Lobby on the White House and Congress, such as the AIPAC-written resolutions praising Israel for its war crimes against the Palestinians in Gaza that were endorsed by 100 per cent of the US Senate and 99 per cent of the House of Representatives, while the rest of the world condemned Israel for its barbarity.
It will become a crime to note the disproportionate representation of Jews in the media, finance, and foreign policy.
In other words, it means the end of free speech, free inquiry, and the First Amendment to the Constitution. Any facts or truths that cast aspersion upon Israel will simply be banned.
Given the hubris of the US government, which leads Washington to apply US law to every country and organization, what will happen to the International Red Cross, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and the various human rights organizations that have demanded investigations of Israel’s military assault on Gaza’s civilian population? Will they all be arrested for the hate crime of “excessive” criticism of Israel?
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TimALoftis6 months ago
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Bob Cesca has a way of telling it like it is. Here is a link to his personal blog;
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http://www.bobcesca.com/ -
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Bkumm6 months ago
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I'm not sure if I understand exactly why the amendment was purposed or why everyone is raising such Cain about it.
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As I understand it, the bill says that any crime committed (resulting in violence) against homosexuals can be considered a hate crime. Okay. So far so good. Then, an amendment is purposed saying that pedophiles are not protected in this way. Okay.
As I read it, what the bill is saying is that if a pedophile gets his or her head kicked in the State can't then prosecute the perpetrator for a hate crime. -
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Bkumm6 months ago
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I guess I don't see the problem with the amendment. I've got a problem with the bill (I'm not a big fan of "hate crimes" legislation), but as the amendment doesn't link pedophilia to homosexuals, but rather says that they shouldn't be a protected class, I don't see the issue.
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Further, pedophilia isn't recognized as a disease so they wouldn't be protected under that part of the legislation.
Now, I would say that Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Lie (sorry) O'Reilly are being their usual lying selves, but what else is new? They're lying about this like they lie about everything else. Don't let them suck you into this crap.-
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Bkumm6 months ago
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I stand corrected. The "sexual orientation" section of the bill was where Rep. King wanted it placed, so that does link it to homosexuals.
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I still think we're playing right into their hands. So, the bill wouldn't protect pedophiles from being the victims of hate crimes. Does anyone really have a problem with that?
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Spadecaller6 months ago
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IN some communities hate crimes are a big problem; this bill provides for victims to seek legal actions outside local municipalities, where some of the perpetrators are local police and government employees.
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Racial profiling and ripping off motorists of their money by threats of imprisonment from law enforcement official have been reported in numerous cases recently and in more than one community.
Nonetheless, this bill refers to physical violence and death due to hate crimes and is extremely careful in its language to make sure that it avoids impinging on anyone's right to free speech. Unfortunately, we have a serious backlash by some people in this country and the victims of hate crimes are escalating.
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF HATE CRIME.
In this Act--
(1) the term ‘crime of violence’ has the meaning given that term in section 16, title 18, United States Code;
(2) the term ‘hate crime’ has the meaning given such term in section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (28 U.S.C. 994 note); and
(3) the term ‘local’ means a county, city, town, township, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State.
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS BY STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
(a) Assistance Other Than Financial Assistance-
(1) IN GENERAL- At the request of a State, local, or Tribal law enforcement agency, the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that--
(A) constitutes a crime of violence;
(B) constitutes a felony under the State, local, or Tribal laws; and
(C) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or Tribal hate crime laws.-
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hyperbola6 months ago
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Well Spade, your own exposition shows the severe problems with this kind of government sponsored "group-think". Look again at your last line:
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""or is a violation of the State, local, or Tribal hate crime laws.""
Apparently any state, local governmental unit or even tribe can define "hate crime" as whatever they choose and it is then applied to everyone. For example, under this proposed legislation, a town in the (south) could pass a law defining any criticism of Jim Crow laws as a hate crime and a felony.
Or, Nazi Germany could have passed a law saying that any criticism of its "arrangements" for gypsies, jews and cripples constitutes a hate crime and felony.
This is the sure way to end up with government controlled thought crimes - and it is clear that the zionists are one of the major forces behind the attempts to force this totalitarian group-think on Americans.
Severely and fatally anti-American and the kind of restriction of our democracy that EVERY American patriot should oppose.
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Spadecaller6 months ago
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It's odd that some people who oppose the bill have not even read it or understand how it works and what it provides for those victims who become the targets of hate crimes. It is quite a practical bill that makes it possible for victims of hate crimes to circumvent communities that are entrenched in corruption and exploitation of gays and minorities. It also provides a check and balance so that some local communities do not become centers for corruption.
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Bkumm6 months ago
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It really doesn't do that, Spade. It provides assistance (other than financial assistance) to local law enforcement agencies that request the assistance. Also, the Federal government may provide grants to local authorities to pursue hate crime investigation and prevention. In any case, the victim is not the person who would be able to circumvent local authorities under this bill.
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So, I understand what you're trying to say, but that isn't what the bill does. What it DOES do is take some of the burden off of the States when they are trying to prosecute hate crimes by providing assistance (especially forensic and technical assistance) to local law enforcement agencies that may not have the wherewithal to otherwise prosecute those crimes as hate crimes. It happened in the Matthew Shepard case, which is one reason why this bill is being passed.
By the way, even without this bill, the two perpetrators of the unspeakable crime committed against Matthew Shepard are both in prison forever. -
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Endoscopy6 months ago
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More pure nuttiness by the far left wing that rules the Democrat party these days. There is the calling of conservative people liars etc. This is responsible discourse? Not really. The stupid rant about the pedophile amendment is silly when you consider the extreme left wing idiots want to treat that as normal. They claim that any sex at any age that is consensual is just fine. Just look to the left and you will see this nuttiness.
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There is a major problem with hate crime legislation. The word perceived is a major problem. How do you get inside a person brain at the time of the crime. This law is just a method of getting around double jeopardy. A person is tried and acquitted of a crime and now they can be hauled into federal court and they get to try again for the exact same act.-
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truthiness6 months ago
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no one is claiming there is such a thing as consensual pedophilia. it is redundant to say that pedophilia is non-consentual, that's why it is a crime (that and the fact that it is just plain disgusting).
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the argument being made is that there is no reason for a special amendment unless you believe the stereotype that homo's are pedophiles, which is a rather ironic thing to put in a hate crime bill.
as to the ridiculousness of the hate crime bill, see below. -
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jakesguile6 months ago
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MY GOD
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NOBODY can be this stupid
Consentual sex.... Consent can ONLY be given at legal age which in this country is 18. Consent is not applied (even if the person says go ahead) BEFORE the age of 18 in the US. Therefore the "any age as long as it's consentual" line is nullified. My God, read your history Endo.
If you really want to diddle that 13 year old across the street, lure him to a trip to New Zeland, they have looser age of consent laws there.
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truthiness6 months ago
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as ludicrous as the republican amendment is, so too is the bill.
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how do you make people's thoughts illegal? murder assault, etc are crimes because they are crimes of violence of one person against another. what you are thinking when you are doing it is irrelevant.
why is it worse for someone to beat me up because I am jewish than because they want my money?
how do you prove beyond a reasonable doubt what someone is thinking? why wooyuld you beinterested inprobing what someone is thinking?
will we start arresting people for what they are thinking regardless of commiting other crimes?
who will be in charge of the thought police?-
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Bkumm6 months ago
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All good questions.
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Hate crimes legislation is an emotional response (much like laws banning homosexual marriage) to an extremely emotional issue. Take a look at the Matthew Shepard case. What the perpetrators of that crime did to that boy was absolutely unspeakable. It's indefensible in any way, under any circumstances (short of insanity). And yet, the two men convicted of the crime were arrested, charged, convicted and are never getting out of prison with no hate crime legislation passed at all.
So, there you have it. A crime is a crime is a crime. It doesn't matter who commits it or for what reason (other than degrees of crime and defense of ones self or others). We have enough laws. Now we need to ensure they are enforced as they should be.
Maybe what we need passed is the "Prosecute Everyone For The Crime They Are Guilty For No Matter Who They Are, Know or Happen To Be Related To Act". Couple that with the, "We're All Equal...PERIOD Act".
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Bkumm6 months ago
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I think we should all read the bill. Here's what the House is debating:
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http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:4:./tem...
Endo,
It doesn't allow for double jeopardy by making it a Federal crime. Hate crimes are already available for Federal prosecution under the U.S. Code. -
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Icantwait6 months ago
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My Fellow Americans: Hannity and Limbaugh are right again. This is logical thinking and eliminating this type of behavior is best for the Health of America. Is Rape a Hate Crime or is it Love of the Beauty of Women? Since, during foreplay, passion is aroused and sometimes the consequences of the final act is the result of an Accusation of Rape. Although, Alley Jumping could be considered Rape. The Real American
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