LATEST ON HATE CRIMES - FROM CCM

The Hate Crimes Bill (S909) has passed the US House and is scheduled for debate in the US Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. If you haven’t yet contacted these Senators, now is the time to do so. Please act and pass this email to all concerned Americans you know across the nation. Even if you haven’t yet contacted the Senators yourself, it’s critical that we spread the word now… let’s make our voices heard and stop this infringement on free speech and thought.

*** The contact list below is updated to simplify contacting them via the internet. The listed links go directly to each Senator’s online contact page. Hopefully this helps until we can locate actual email addresses. ***

Some summary information, compiled from Janet Porter of WorldNet Daily:

- This is bill S. 909, the so-called “Hate Crimes” bill.

- It criminalizes speech against groups already identified.

- It adds sexual orientation to the list.

- Pastors could be charged with inciting a hate crime for sermon content.

- Individuals could be charged with inciting a hate crime for resisting the actions or advances of a homosexual/lesbian.

- It would criminalize Christianity by turning those who disagree with homosexual agenda into felons.

- It would elevate pedophiles as a special protected class, since the term “sexual orientation” includes them in the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of various sexual orientations.

- Denies freedom of speech and constitutes thought control as we’re denied the right to express opinions without risking fines or arrest.

- Would deny us 14th Amendment right of equal protection under the law.

- Would identify a special “preferred” class of victim with more rights than the average citizen would have as victim of similar crime.

- Federal funds would be proffered to local law enforcement encouraging them to prosecute crimes against this preferred class.

Here is a brief news video explaining the need to contact the Senate Judiciary Committee today: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=13335492&ch=4226716&src=news

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STOP THIS?

The bill is scheduled for the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, and the members of that committee should hear from you ASAP. Below are their phone, fax, and links to each of their websites’ online contact forms. See the end of this email for a sample letter you can copy-and-paste it into their contact forms (or write your own). Email, phone and/or fax them today.

Senate Judiciary Committee:



Patrick J. Leahy Chairman, D-Vermont

http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-4242

FAX 202-224-3479



Herb Kohl D-Wisconsin

http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-5653

FAX 202-224-9787



Arlen Specter D-Pennsylvania

http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Phone 202-224-4254

FAX 202-228-1229



Dianne Feinstein D-California

http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe

Phone 202-224-3841

FAX 202-228-3954


Orrin G. Hatch R-Utah

http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Phone 202-224-5251

FAX 202-224-6331



Russell D. Feingold D-Wisconsin

http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

Phone 202-224-5323

FAX 202-224-2725



Charles E. Grassley R-Iowa

http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-3744

FAX None listed


Charles E. Schumer D-New York

http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-6542

FAX 202-228-3027


Jon Kyl R-Arizona

http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-4521

FAX 202-224-2207



Richard J. Durbin D-Illinois

http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Phone 202-224-2152

FAX 202-228-0400



Jeff Sessions R-Alabama

http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ContactMe

Phone 202-224-4124

FAX 202-224-3149



Benjamin L. Cardin D-Maryland

http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Phone 202-224-4524

FAX 202-224-4651



Lindsey Graham R-South Carolina

http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham

Phone 202-224-5972

FAX None listed



Sheldon Whitehouse D-Rhode Island

Email: sheldon_whitehouse@whitehouse.senate.gov

http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Phone 202-224-2921

FAX 202-228-6362



John Cornyn R-Texas

http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Phone 202-224-2934

FAX 202-228-2856



Ron Wyden D-Oregon

http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Phone 202-224-5244

FAX 202-228-2717



Tom Coburn R-Oklahoma

http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home

Phone 202-224-5754

FAX 202-224-6008


Amy Klobuchar D-Minnesota

http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm?contactForm=emailamy&submit=Go

Phone 202-224-3244

FAX 202-228-2186



Edward E. Kaufman D-Delaware

http://kaufman.senate.gov/services/contact/

Phone 202-224-5042

FAX 202-228-3075



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SAMPLE LETTER:

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Personalize this sample letter so it reflects your own opinion and comments, or write your own. Remember to include your contact information, as most lawmakers will ignore anonymous letters. Then use it to copy-and-paste into your emails and faxed letters.



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Dear Senator:



I am urging you to vote NO on S 909, the Hate Crimes Legislation bill. This bill is problematic for many reasons:

(1) It is unconstitutional. The 14th Amendment requires that all citizens be given equal treatment under the law. Hate crimes laws create special classes of victims and do not treat all victims fairly.

(2) It could ultimately lead to prosecution for thoughts and restrictions on free speech and religious liberty. Although it prosecutes only “acts of violence” and does not prosecute expressions or opinions, it opens the door to examining the thoughts of not only a criminal, but everyone with whom he may have come into contact. An overzealous prosecutor could turn a criminal prosecution into a political correctness prosecution. Broadly written hate crimes bills in other states and countries have been used to restrict the freedom of politically incorrect and unpopular speech. This bill could be used to advance the politically correct agenda in this country by providing greater protections for certain classes of people. Future legislation could expand these protections and place restrictions on religious liberty and free speech.

(3) It is unnecessary. Recent FBI statistics show that crimes motivated by hatred or bias against a trait of the victim are decreasing. Furthermore, many states already have a hate crimes law and there is no evidence that the states are failing to prosecute hate crimes. States which do not have hate crimes laws still prosecute the crimes under existing criminal laws. A federal bill hate crimes bill would only increase the control and scope of the federal government.

Vote NO on S 909.

Sincerely,

-Name-

-Address-

-City State Zip-

- Email/Phone -

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