- I am gratified that many Christian/conservative organizations
and tens of thousands of freedom-loving Americans are focusing their concern
on the House of Representatives as it prepares to vote on the anti-hate
bill H.R. 1592 this Thursday.
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- Yet let's face reality: Within the last 2
weeks, the Democrat majority of the Oregon legislature voted unwaveringly
to mock the will of the people, passing pro-homosexual S.B. 2. Similarly,
the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee scorned Republican concerns,
approving H.R. 1592 last week. We may expect the same in the House this
Thursday. Not only do pro-hate bill Democrats have 34 more votes than
the Republicans, but at least several dozen Republicans are probably committed
to vote for the hate bill. This means that in order to even have a tie
in the House more than 55 members would have to cancel their pledge to
vote for the hate bill. Not a good possibility.
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- Hope in the Senate
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- An extremely different reality exists in the
Senate. The pro-hate bill forces may have as many as 65 votes, more than
the 60 necessary to win. This includes about 14 Republicans; but if 6
Republicans are dissuaded from supporting the hate bill, S. 1105 will not
pass. The federal hate bill would be destroyed, at least for this session
of Congress.
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- Even though the hate bill S. 1105 is not scheduled
for hearings this week, I was told by a pro-hate bill staffer that, according
to the discretion of prime movers like Sens. Reid and Leahy, it could be
moved forward very rapidly next week, with virtually no advance notice.
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- Do we wait until Thursday evening, after probable
defeat in the House, before we turn our protest to the Senate? I think
that could well be too late.
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- Since the Senate, not the House, is where
our greatest hope lies, I believe it is necessary NOW to devote a sizable
portion of our efforts to winning Senate Republicans back. There are 14
Senate Republicans still in office who voted for the hate bill in 2004.
Here are 12 who might be persuaded to come back to reality:
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- · Alexander, Lamar (TN)
- · Bennett, Robert (UT)
- · Coleman, Norm (MN)
- · Collins, Susan (ME)
- · Ensign, John (NV)
- · Gregg, Judd (NH)
- · Lugar, Richard (IN)
- · Murkowski, Lisa (AK)
- · Snowe, Olympia (ME)
- · Stevens, Ted (AK)
- · Voinovich, George (OH)
- · Warner, John (VA)
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- In addition, there are 17 Republican Senators
whose stand is either unclear or unannounced. The pro-hate bill forces
are working hard to persuade them to vote with the Democrats. Lovers of
freedom must work even harder to keep them from succumbing. These possible
"fence-straddlers" are:
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- · Allard, Wayne (CO)
- · Bond, Christopher (MO)
- · Bunning, Jim (KY)
- · Burr, Richard (NC)
- · Crapo, Michael (ID)
- · Dole, Elizabeth (NC)
- · Domenici, Pete (NM)
- · Graham, Lindsey (SC)
- · Hagel, Chuck (NE)
- · Hutchison, Kay (TX)
- · Martinez, Mel (FL)
- · McCain, John (AZ)
- · Roberts, Pat (KS)
- · Sununu, John (NH)
- · Thomas, Craig (WY)
- · Thune, John (SD)
- · Vitter, David (LA)
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- Call all of the above immediately. Don't
be shy about calling again in the weeks ahead. Toll free numbers
include 1-877-851-6437 and 1-866-220-0044, or call toll 1-202-225-3121.
If you are a constituent of any of the above, it is vitally important
that you send them and their influential 8 to 10 legislative aides my powerful
flyer <http://www.truthtellers.org/hatelawsflyermailer.pdf>Anti-Hate
Laws Will Make YOU a Criminal (list of aides and flyer available at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org;
click on " <http://www.truthtellers.org/actionplan.html>What
Can I Do? "). There is evidence that this flyer, sent to legislative
aides, has powerfully motivated members of the House to action (although
such may be too late).
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- I am not suggesting that we stop our offensive
in the House. Call your House member immediately also. But, as every
army must fight not only on the front but also protect its flanks and rear
guard, so we must be proactive to carry the battle to the Senate now.
How foolish we would feel if, having spent a full week concentrating on
the House and being defeated, we were suddenly faced with an imminent vote
in the Senate and had done little to persuade crucial Republicans. I believe
that with the exception of Sen. Smith and Sen. Specter, Republicans who
have strayed, if overwhelmed by the will of the people, can cancel their
promises to ADL and the gay lobby in favor of those who have power to vote
them out of office.
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- Call each of the above 31 Senators and tell
them:
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- "Please don't vote for hate crime bill S. 1105.
Hate laws have taken away free speech in Canada and many European countries."
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- Add this stern warning to Senators from your
state:
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- "If you vote for hate laws, I and my friends will
never vote for you again."
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- The above lists are posted at Truthtellers.org,
click <http://www.truthtellers.org/actionplan.html>What Can I Do? The
legislative aides are listed with the Republican Senators also. Any
Senator not listed opposes the hate bill already.
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- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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- Rev. Ted Pike directs the National Prayer
Network, a Christian /conservative watchdog organization.
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- Visit <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org
to learn much more about how you can help save free speech in America.
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- Let the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
teach you how they have saddled 45 states with hate laws capable of persecuting
Christians: <http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp>http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/intro.asp.
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- Learn how ADL took away free speech in Canada
and wants to steal it now in the U.S. Congress. Watch Rev. Ted Pike's <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7217700265038533779>Hate
Laws: Making Criminals of Christians at video.google.com. Purchase this
gripping documentary to show at church. Order online at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org
for $24.90, DVD or VHS, by calling 503-853-3688, or at the address below.
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- TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on
the threat of hate laws, both federal and state. Call (503) 631-3808.
-
-
- NATIONAL PRAYER NETWORK, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas, OR
97015
- <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org
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