With the help of Saturday Night Live's finest--new Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.)--liberals are accelerating their push to pass federal "hate crimes" legislation. In a letter to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) made no bones about his plan to fast-track the bill after the July 4th recess, bypassing the normal process. His maneuvering would mean that Republicans have relatively no input on legislation that would have sweeping consequences for churches, charities, Christians, and criminal law. Bob Knight sums it up as a "grab bag of ways to violate genuine constitutional rights while addressing a non-issue."Nevertheless, the Left insists on forcing a bill through Congress that establishes "thought crimes," gives special protection to homosexuals under the law, and paves the way for the federal government to get deeply involved in crimes on the local level. The House already passed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909) back in April. Now the Senate leadership is racing to do the same.
You can help derail their train by flooding the offices of three Committee Democrats whose votes could make all the difference--Arkansas's Blanche Lincoln, phone: 202-224-4843; Arkansas's Mark Pryor, phone: 202-224-2353; and Alaska's Mark Begich, phone: 202-224-3004. Remind them that equal justice under the law means equal protection for all!
