Behind the Battle....

BEHIND THE “HATE BILL” BATTLE ON CAPITOL HILL

By Rev. Ted Pike

On October 20th, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted not to add Senator Edward Kennedy’s “anti-hate” bill, S.1145, onto the Children’s Safety Act, H.R.3132.

This effectively blocked further movement of the House version of the hate bill (passed as Amdt. 2662) toward a vote in the Senate. This was a shocking reversal for the homosexual lobby, a powerful force behind all anti-hate legislation.

Since then, I have been calling Senators who support and oppose the hate bill, attempting to discover what really happened in Judiciary. This is vital to ascertain the prospects of passage of this Orwellian legislation.

What I have discovered is sobering.

To understand the possible success or defeat of the hate bill, we have to first comprehend the motivations and pressures upon Senator Edward Kennedy. Kennedy has powerful groups pressuring him, notably the pedophile lobby - an emerging political force in the Capitol. They are becoming increasingly visible and vocal through such political action groups as NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. Pedophiles hate the Children’s Safety Act and its similar Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act of 2005, S.1086. These bills were created and sponsored not by liberals but by conservative Republicans who also oppose the hate bill (such as Hatch, Sensenbrenner, and DeLay). S.1086 and H.R.3132 are extremely punitive toward convicted pedophiles. Kennedy’s pedophile supporters demand that he do his best to weaken legislation that punishes those who sexually molest little boys and girls.

Enter the eight Republican members of the Judiciary Committee. On October 20, 2005 they were determined to block Kennedy’s hate bill but were outvoted in Judiciary 10 to 8. Yet they had something Kennedy wanted: power to water down the Sex Offender bill. Result: Kennedy and the Republicans struck a deal. Parts of the Sex Offender Act were diluted to make Kennedy’s pedophiles happier. In return, Kennedy agreed not to force a vote in Judiciary to add S.1145 to the Children’s Safety Act, a vote he would have won. Since S.1145 is a “stand-alone” bill, Kennedy knew he could press that issue later when he will try to attach S.1145 to the Sex Offender Act on the floor of the Senate.

Republican opponents of the hate bill had no other choice.

UNITING TO WIN IN THE SENATE

Meanwhile, conservatives in Congress who are pushing the anti-pedophile legislation are very weary of its being labeled “Orwellian” by the religious political right and lumped together with the anti-hate bill. Many on the Right object to the Children’s Safety and Sex Offender Acts because they authorize federal control and punishment of sex offenders, a prerogative such strict constitutionalists believe resides with the states. While this legislation does increase federalization of law enforcement, I have studied S.1086 carefully and do not find it invasive of the rights of anyone except sex offenders. Already, the government can intervene in states’ rights if it finds voter fraud, jury tampering, slavery, or crimes involving interstate commerce. Republican originators of S.1086 believe that child molestation, pornography, child prostitution, etc. are of such epidemic national proportions that only the federal government can most effectively deal with them.

Senator Frist and anti-pedophile Republicans desire that patriots call their Senators, not only opposing Kennedy’s hate bill but also convincing a majority of Senators to vote for the Sex Offender Act. They feel that strong Senate support behind S.1086 would give Republican leadership a strong position to not only pass anti-pedophile legislation but also restrain Kennedy’s attempts to attach his hate bill to it.
In my opinion, blocking Kennedy and his hate bill is of enormously greater importance than passing the Sex Offender Act. Yet I believe this pro-family legislation should be encouraged. The least that should be done, even by those who disagree with its federalist complexion, is to protest the hate bill, not the Sex Offender Act.

KEEP UP THE FIGHT

The Republican strategy has been to derail the Children’s Safety Act with its hate bill attachment, Amdt. 2662, and create another Senate version of that act, S.1086. Thus, if Kennedy should succeed in attaching S.1145, then the House and Senate versions will be different, necessitating conference between the House and Senate. Since Kennedy’s hate bill probably cannot be defeated by a vote in the Senate, referral to conference would be a boon to all who love free speech.

Four times over the past six years the hate bill has been passed by the Senate yet rejected in conference, thanks to the vigilance of feisty House Republican conferees. Those four times, the hate bill sailed through the Senate Judiciary Committee. It did not this time because eight Republican Senators had overwhelmingly heard from the people forbidding them to let the hate bill through. It was because of their obedience to that resounding voice of the people that they were even willing to allow their cherished Sex Offender Act to be weakened.

Clearly, Providence and the voice of protest helped empower defeat of the hate bill in Judiciary on October 20, 2005.

It is time to not only pray for Divine deliverance but also to continue to saturate the Senate against Kennedy’s hate bill. We must call, email, and call again because our freedom and that of our children depends upon it.
The toll free number for members of the Senate is 1-888-355-3588. Come to www.truthtellers.org for a list of 100 Senators, plus many hate laws articles. The full text of S.1145 with commentary by Rev. Pike is available at this website.
Get educated fast 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.

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