Dear Friends,
Please call your Senators today at 202-224-3121!
The Senate is now considering the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization bill. Since this bill is something that must pass, it is being used as a Christmas tree, where many Senators hang their decorations (amendments), and which, in many cases, have nothing to do with defense or our national security.
On Thursday, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM) as an amendment to the defense authorization bill. This legislation is a nightmare that extends amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens who entered the United States before the age of 16. The alien can then use his newly acquired status to seek green cards for the parents who brought him in illegally in the first place. This amendment has nothing to do with border security which absolutely must be our top priority. Please call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and urge them to oppose this amendment - it is not a DREAM for the U.S.
The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been reintroduced as an amendment by Senators Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and Gordon Smith (R-Oregon). In his explanation on why this legislation must be attached to the DOD Authorization, Senator Kennedy claimed that "hate crimes" are acts of domestic terrorism. Senator Kennedy's assertion flies in the face of the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report that shows bias-motivated crimes are on the decrease. Please call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to oppose this "hate crimes" amendment.
Action:
Please call your Senators (202-224-3121) and urge them to oppose the Dream Act amendment - it is not a DREAM for the U.S.
Please call your Senators (202-224-3121) and ask them to oppose the dangerous "hate crimes" amendment.
For additional information please read: H.R. 1592: An Assault on Equal Protection
Sincerely,
Mrs. Beverly LaHaye
Founder and Chairman
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Copy of article at above link:
H.R. 1592: An Assault on Equal Protection
Shari Rendall
April 26, 2007
The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution affords equal protection to every citizen under the law. This legislation would treat victims differently based on their class. Such laws do not equally protect all citizens.
The proposed categories of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in H.R. 1592 create special classes of victims based solely upon behavioral identification with a group of people. This means that a perpetrator could receive a harsher punishment for assaulting a homosexual man than for the same violent crime committed against a child.
“Hate crimes” laws politicize criminal law, leading to pressure on police and prosecutors to devote more of their limited resources to some cases at the expense of other crime victims’ cases. They also vastly expand the power and jurisdiction of the federal government to intervene in local law enforcement matters.
While the intent-based evaluation for murder examines intent and treats all criminals equally, “hate crimes” laws require an evaluation of a criminal’s thoughts and treats victims differently based on their identity. According to the FBI’s annual report on “hate crimes,” identifying feelings is beyond law enforcement’s ability and jurisdiction. The determination of thoughts and feelings involves enormous possibility of error. To maintain order and justice, government must judge actions — not feelings.
The most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report shows that bias-motivated crimes are on the decline. In fact, less than 17% of all law enforcement agencies reported a single hate crime in 2005. A total of only 1,171 “sexual orientation” bias crimes were reported (one-half of which were name-calling, pushing or shoving) — representing the largest and most consistent decrease of all bias-motivated crimes.
State criminal statutes already prosecute “hate crimes” to the fullest extent of their laws. In other words, existing laws are already working.
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