A POWERFUL TOOL TO KILL THE FEDERAL HATE BILL
By Rev. Ted Pike
In the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 20, 2005, Ted Kennedy
compromised away an easy victory for his hate bill, S. 1145. Kennedy
has vowed to reintroduce this bill, but we can make its passage an
uphill battle.
Kennedy faces a formidable opponent in Sen. Bill Frist, Senate
Majority leader. Frist adamantly opposes hate crimes legislation.
If Frist is strong, then Kennedy is weak and vice versa. The balance
of power must be swung toward the Republicans if we want to preserve
free speech in America.
Frist is delaying introduction of the Sex Offender Registration
and Notification Act, S. 1086, as he builds support for this pro-family
legislation. (This is the Senate version of the Children’s
Safety Act passed last September by the House.) He needs strong support
for S.1086 so he can pass it without having to compromise with Kennedy,
whose goal is to attach the hate bill to the act.
We must weaken Kennedy’s power to attach the hate bill to
the Sex Offender bill, and strengthen Frist’s power to pass
this anti-pedophile legislation. Kennedy has negotiated deals with
dozens of Democratic and Republican senators who have agreed to support
his hate bill. He promised, “I’ll support other bills
for you if you support me on this: Vote for the Sex Offender Act
only after we attach my hate bill to it.”
But massive public support of the Sex Offender bill would tell
members of the Senate that they must pass this act because the people
say so, not because they want to get on Kennedy’s good side.
Kennedy will lose his power to attach the hate bill.
We must call the Senate to oppose the hate bill, and we must also
encourage support of the Sex Offender bill. If we can prevent attachment
of the hate bill, we will avoid the peril of conference between the
House and Senate. Best of all, we will kill the hate bill, at least
for this year. The hate bill cannot go to the President if rejected
by the Senate.
A TIME FOR FLEXIBILITY
In my previous e-alert, I recounted how S.1086 has been watered
down to please Sen. Kennedy and his pedophile supporters. The time
to restore the original strictures against pedophiles is in the upcoming
conference between House and Senate. For the moment S.1086, though
weakened, should be passed.
Because the House on Oct. 20, 2005 overwhelmingly passed the original
version (the Childrens' Safety Act, H.R.3132), there is tremendous
pressure on Frist to honor that commitment and bring the Senate version
of that bill (S.1086) to a vote. If its passage in the Senate could
be made possible by overwhelming public support rather than by compromise
with Kennedy and his liberals, then Kennedy’s power to attach
the hate bill would be greatly weakened.
Being federal in jurisdiction, the Sex Offender bill is not the
ideal according to Constitutional purists (of which I am one). There
is a time to be constitutionally pure. There is also a time to pursue
a vastly greater good. This is such a time.
If the hate bill becomes law, it will not just compromise the Constitution;
it will ultimately destroy it. It will end free speech first, then
all our other freedoms. Considering the power which massive support
of the Sex Offender bill has to weaken Kennedy and his hate bill,
there is no question that we should support passage of S.1086 to
the limit.
A battle is under way in the Senate between two juggernauts of
power: Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Frist. Who will prevail?
The answer is up to us.
Here’s what you can do to defeat the hate bill: Come to www.truthtellers.org for the complete list of 100 senators. Call tollfree 1-888-355-3588.
Don’t hang up after the first call but ask to be forwarded to
the switchboard and the next senator’s office.
Tell each senator’s office:
- Please don’t vote for Sen. Kennedy’s hate bill.
- Please
vote for the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act,
S.1086.
Did you call the senators last fall? We won that battle,
but the war goes on -- call again!
Get educated on the origins and ambitions of the hate laws! Ted
Pike’s gripping, fast-moving documentary, “Hate Laws:
Making Criminals of Christians,” is now available on DVD. Order
for $24.90, at www.truthtellers.org, by calling (503)631-3808, or
at the address below.
TALK SHOW HOSTS: Ted Pike is available for interviews at (503)631-3808.
National Prayer Network, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas, OR 97015
503.631.3808
