- If you swallow the Anti-Defamation League's line, you'd
think that in Canada, where Christians are less free to express themselves,
Jews would also be less free. But this isn't the case. Jews are more upfront
about their ethnic ties in this nation where Christianity is more virulently
suppressed and denied free expression of conscience. The ADL's proudest
accomplishment-"anti-hate" federal laws in Canada and most of
Europe-has produced the opposite of universal liberty: freedom for a privileged
few.
-
- In a fascinating article published in Jewish
Political Studies Review (11:3-4, 1999), Irwin Otler contrasts Jewish activism
in Canada with its counterpart in the United States. He argues that Canadian
Jewish organizations differ from their American counterparts in that they
more freely assert their ethnic "tribal" identity. For instance,
they seek government support of Jewish religious schools.
-
- Otler reviews how Canadian Jewish groups
led the charge to overturn the Lord's Day Act (which required stores to
close every Sunday for the previous 75 years), mandated school prayer,
and mandated Christian "religious education" in Canada. At the
same time, they supported the building of a succa (Jewish religious symbol)
at Toronto's city hall and a menorah on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislative
Assembly. The Canadian Jewish Congress even went to court to force the
Canadian government to financially assist Jewish religious education. They
said failure to subsidize Jewish education would deny freedom of religion
and equality, as specified in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,
passed in 1982.
-
- Canadian Jews' boldness should not come as
a surprise, given that Canada has instituted the ADL's Orwellian "anti-hate"
laws, designed primarily to silence free debate about Jews, Judaism, and
Israel. Christianity has been gagged in Canada, where the Bible qualifies
as "hate literature" because of its condemnation of sin.
-
- At the same time, it is surprising if you
have been at all influenced by the PR mask worn by major Jewish groups
like ADL. Such massive powerful Jewish organizations depict themselves
as working benevolently for freedom and justice. They adamantly support
"separationist" church/state policies as necessary for the freedom
of all Americans. They claim concern for nationwide freedom is their only
reason for opposing Christians' religious school vouchers or Christian
symbols on public grounds.
-
- But Canada shows the real intent and result
of ADL hate laws. They protect Jews from the slightest criticism, while
preventing Christians from expressing our sincerest convictions, our own
"tribal" traditions of same-gender married sex, preservation
of innocent life, glorification of Jesus, etc. The very activist forces
intent to shield Judaism (and homosexuality and moral relativism) are intent
to erode Christianity and traditional morality. The forces (spearheaded
by Jewish activists) behind Canada's Charter and anti-hate laws got a lot
of their political steam from condemning western, Christian civilization
for complicity with the Holocaust (and a heap of deeply mythologized sins
such as slavery, colonial misdeeds, and mistreatment of native Americans).
Many academic elites seem to earn their entire paychecks by shaming, silencing,
and judging our white, western, largely Christian forebears.
-
- Thus, the ADL and its cohorts aren't trying
to create free and equal treatment but very unequal treatment-preferential
privileging of Jews and some others and disparagement and silencing of
Christians and western traditionalists. Canadian Jews, for example, have
shaped a nation in which an official orthodoxy about sex is enforced. A
progressive indulgent view of homosexuality is the only tolerable perspective.
The opposing viewpoint, which condemns same-gender sex on moral grounds,
is censored.
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- Don't Censor My Conscience
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- This could quickly happen here in the United
States. Supporters of "anti-hate" legislation use the same doublespeak
that occurs in Canada. Supporters of speech bans and hate laws claim that
people who experience others' moral disapproval are so burdened and stigmatized
that they become less politically free or equal. Censorship of moral disapproval
is the only way to ensure their rights and political freedom. But this
is just a good-sounding justification for censorship as brutal as a duct-tape
gag and a knife blade against the ribs.
-
- Religious conservatives who judge homosexuality
are not declaring gays to be less politically equal! They are declaring
a certain behavior to be immoral. The expression of moral judgment must
not be made illegal, ever. Think about this: Even the most stubborn moral
relativist (the kind of person who justifies "open" marriages)
will say that Hitler was immoral, was less morally equal. He may or may
not wish to deprive a present-day Hitler supporter of political rights.
But that's a separate question. The expression of moral judgments must
be separated from the idea of "equality," which is swung around
like a club with which to knock senseless anyone who wishes to express
moral disapproval.
-
- Social judgment is a fact of life, and not
a bad one, either. Almost everyone (at least this side of the Atlantic)
agrees that pedophiles deserve public disapproval. Dateline NBC now markets
this verdict with their ultimate shaming program, "To Catch a Predator,"
which airs with disturbing frequency. In these episodes, NBC's host makes
would-be pedophiles sweat during sting operations. Millions of Americans
tune in to unapologetically despise, squirm over, and marvel at these creeps
(many of whom look like the guy next door). Nobody steps up for the perps;
no public outcry demands that NBC stop "defaming" or hurting
the feelings of this very identifiable group: child predators. Moral judgment
about this behavior is completely widespread throughout society, almost
unanimous.
-
- But sometimes (in fact, frequently) one or
two courageous individuals must take the part of prophet, challenging social
stasis by expressing moral disapproval of something that is not unanimously
judged. This was the case with slavery. William Wilberforce, a valorous
18th-century Christian, spoke out against slavery in England at a time
when it was not universally condemned. He didn't express a broadly accepted
viewpoint, like NBC's "Predator" show. Instead, he heroically
championed a position of moral and Biblical truth that had been covered
with a sludge of justifications and excuses. Wilberforce spoke much like
the critics of Christian Zionism today, who dare to criticize Judaism and
Christian support of Israel in a time when America has fallen prey to false
theology and ruinous foreign policy.
-
- What if "anti-hate" laws had been
around in the time of Wilberforce? Imagine "anti-hate" legislation
wielded by the Anti-Defamation League of British Slave Holders, who demanded
Wilberforce stop damaging the feelings of this very "identifiable
group."
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- Protect America from Hate Laws
-
- Today, in an era of increasingly globalized
and concentrated power, laws against the expression of conscience have
never been more dangerous.
-
- We can't give the government (meaning whoever's
in power) the tools to silence the expression of conscience. Religious
and political speech is the most volatile, controversial, feelings-hurting
kind. It's also the most valuable because it incites, leads, and justifies
individual and national action.
-
- At this point, an ivory tower debate about
speech is a little lame. We've already got on-the-ground evidence about
"anti-hate" laws' architects and their political motives and
about the establishment and use of "anti-hate" legislation. We
have 37 years of damning proof from Canada.
-
- "Anti-hate" laws are a political
weapon designed to silence certain segments of the population-primarily
conservatives, Christians, and critics of Israel and Judaism. They are
intended to shut down free political and religious speech, enforcing by
law the current orthodoxies of unconditional support of Israel, moral relativism
(particularly about sex), unlimited immigration and cultural relativism,
and denunciations of the United States, God, and our western, Judeo-Christian
heritage.
-
- Let's face it: Hate laws won't make public
discourse any more polite or any kinder and gentler. That's not why they
were designed. They have almost nothing to do with protecting innocents
from hate. They are about censorship. The ultimate aim of "anti-hate"
laws is exemplified by Israel, the world's foremost religious, racist state.
There, Jews have the ultimate freedom to express their "tribal"
identity while denying Arab rights and also the expression of Christianity
like crosses and evangelism. The Zionist spirit is shared by Jews who support
Israel and ADL around the world. It is certainly the reason Canadian Jews
want Christian pastors to be penalized for expression of conscience, while
simultaneously requiring Christian taxpayers to actually pay for Jewish
religious education.
-
- Recently I visited a small boutique in downtown
Portland with my sister. The store's glass windows were posted with several
signs saying that "derogatory remarks of an ethnic, homophobic, or
sexist nature" would not be permitted in the store. But inside, shelves
were filled with smutty giftware defaming the President, the Vice President,
and men in general-calling them profane names and depicting them naked,
as monkeys and asses. The shop was a perfect capsule of "anti-hate"
laws' double standard. Far from purifying society from hatred and bigotry,
"anti-hate" laws protect the prejudices of the powerful while
eliminating the freedom of speech and thought that enables pursuit of truth.
"Anti-hate" laws aren't used to elevate public conversation or
ban offensive speech. They're used to silence some people and ban some
viewpoints while permitting free reign to others. "Anti-hate"
laws actually empower and institutionalize hate. There are no laws more
dangerous than these. There is nothing more worthy of our attention and
energy.
-
- If you want "anti-hate" laws, move
north of the border. Hands off the land of the free! That's the message
we must send to the House and Congress, which are now reviewing a slew
of "anti-hate" legislation that would bring ADL's chains to our
federal government and destroy our unique and precious First Amendment
rights. Please call your House and Senate representatives now and tell
them to say no to hate laws in any and every shape!
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- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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- Harmony Grant writes and edits for National
Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog group. Read more of
her work at <http://www.hisnamesake.blogspot.com/>www.hisnamesake.blogspot.com.
Contact her at <mailto:harmony@truthtellers.org>harmony@truthtellers.org.
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- Go to <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7217700265038533779>video.google.com for
the whole story of how ADL took away free speech in Canada and wants to
do the same in America. Watch Rev. Pike's "Hate Crimes: Making Criminals
of Christians," also available at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org
in VHS or DVD for $24.90 postpaid.
-
- The federal hate bill, H.R. 254, remains
in the House Judiciary Committee, awaiting action. Call all 40 members,
available at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org and
protest this and all hate crimes legislation.
-
- Also call your House member and two state
senators at 1-877-851-6437. Send them and their influential legislative
aides Rev. Ted Pike's flyer, "Anti-Hate Laws Will Make You a Criminal."
All this information is available at <http://www.truthtellers.org/>www.truthtellers.org.
-
- TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Pike! Call
503-631-3808.
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