- One of the largest evangelical political activist groups
has now come out to oppose the dangerous federal hate crimes bill, HR 1913.
The American Family Association's website protests this bill at the top
of its action alerts! AFA has potent internet and publishing resources
and owns a network of 180 radio stations in 28 states. It has mustered
more than a million communications to Congress on red-hot issues.
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- This organization may begin much needed reinforcement
of those Americans-mostly followers of alternative and "far-right"
media-who doggedly protested the freedom-stealing hate bills introduced
into the House Judiciary Committee.
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- During the last three months, Christian conservative
leaders have been mysteriously silent about HR 1913. Yet with WorldNetDaily's
April 2 article against it, and strong alerts from Traditional Values Coalition,
the Christian right may be waking to the hate bill battle.
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- Why have evangelical leaders been so slow to respond?
Tony Perkins, head of Family Research Council, provided a clue. In a recent,
veiled reference to a hate bill in Congress, Perkins says his organization
will work with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to muster the 40
votes necessary to filibuster and kill the hate bill in the Senate.
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- Why wait? Have conservative leaders, considering the
overwhelming support for hate laws in the House of Representatives, decided
to save their efforts for later protest in the Senate? Do they simply want
to wait until Congress reconvenes in 10 days? Or do they think the hate
bills are not a present threat with Obama's hands full of the financial
crisis?
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- Consider the first possibility. Should we wait and let
the hate bill pass the House - pinning our hope on behind-the-scenes deliverance
from Republican Senators? A lot can go wrong if we trust that strategy.
On May 4, 2007, hate bill HR 1592 passed the House by a huge margin. Still
evangelical watchdogs were confident that many feisty Republican Senators
would battle it later on the Senate floor. Tony Perkins predicted a tremendous
row to block hate bill passage. The exact opposite happened on September
26, 2007 when Senator Kennedy's hate bill was opened for debate. Most Republican
Senators were silent! The next day, Kennedy's hate bill passed by one vote.
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- In the weeks before, conservative leaders sounded no
alarms or calls to action on the airways or internet. (The only exception
by Traditional Values Coalition occurred the very morning the
hate bill passed!) This is documented in my video <http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/newvideoexplainshatebill.htm>Betrayed:
How New Right Leaders Helped Pass the Hate Bill. (Watch in the NPN Theater
at truthtellers.org) Also, read articles surrounding September 26, 2007
archived at <http://www.truthtellers.org>www.truthtellers.org.
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- When the hate bill passed, I felt as if a limb had been
amputated from my body.
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- Learn from Our Mistakes
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- We already have the advantage of discovering that Conyers'
hate bill was quietly introduced just before spring recess of Congress
-- not after, as Conyers had planned. All Christian leadership groups should
now forget clever "strategy" and immerse Congress in protest.
If Democrat House Judiciary members return April 20 to tallies of calls
packed with hate bill protest, they will be powerfully daunted from moving
Conyers' bill forward. When they hear the same thing is happening in the
Senate, they will be even more intimidated.
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- Democrats know approval of HR 1913 is a near certainty
in the House. What they absolutely don't want to happen is that, by delivering
an approved hate bill to the Senate, they will make possible defeat of
the hate bill there -- a distinct possibility. Contrary to the House, only
several Democrats who defect and join Republican opposition could mean
hate bill defeat.
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- It's time for Family Research Council, Focus on the Family,
Concerned Women for America, and other watchdog groups to join NPN, WorldNetDaily,
AFA, and TVC in sounding the alarm. They must provide the title and bill
number of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (something
FRC has not done) and adequately describe its sinister content. Such protest
now could stall HR 1913 and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee's HR 262 in the House
Judiciary. With Pres. Obama preoccupied with the economic crisis, he may
not be in a mood to push pro-homosexual, anti-Christian legislation. He
needs all possible friends and probably has the sense to not unnecessarily
antagonize the religious right. His mood could change drastically in the
months ahead. Now is the time to convince House Judiciary Democrats that
the hate bills, including ENDA, are not a viable option this Congress.
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- Call your House and Senate members NOW toll-free at 1-877-851-6437
or toll 1-202-225-3121. Tell them, "Please don't vote for Rep. Conyers'
very dangerous hate crimes bill, HR 1913." Also, ask staffers to watch
the powerful 10-minute videos on the homepage at <http://www.truthtellers.org>www.truthtellers.org
which explain what is so threatening about Conyers' bill.
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- Two years ago, God gave America a second chance and allowed
the hate bill to be defeated. Miraculously, it failed to obtain final approval
in the House.
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- There is no guarantee He will do so again. We cannot
blindly follow those whose record on this issue is inattention, lack of
imagination, silence, and failure.
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