- As the above cartoon by Sean Verster suggests, pro-hate
bill Democrats, especially in the Senate Judiciary, want to assert many
things about the prevalence of hate in America and who the haters are.
But they cannot endure open, widely publicized debate, especially concerning
their federal hate crimes bill. This aversion to scrutiny at the hands
of Judiciary Republicans has caused Democratic leadership to possibly seek
hate bill passage as an amendment to "must pass" legislation.
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- Last Monday, June 8, the online homosexual Washington
Blade headlined "<http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=25698>Senate
to Pass Hate Crimes Bill as Amendment". The primary authority for
this was Trevor Thomas, a spokesman for the homosexual Human Rights Campaign
(HRC), plus opinions of Senate staffers.
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- Yet, it appears the Democrats may still not have made
up their minds. Yesterday afternoon, June 11, I called Sen. Edward Kennedy's
office and was routed to his legislative authority. She said the Senator
and fellow Democrats "are still mulling over" what course to
take. They have not decided with finality to pursue the amendment route.
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- One advantage of resubmitting the hate bill as an amendment
is that Judiciary hearings are bypassed. As soon as the Senate accepts
his amendment, Kennedy, as the bill's chief Senate sponsor and originator,
may demand a vote at any time. If Republican opposition can't muster 41
votes, there can be no filibuster. Kennedy's hate bill will pass.
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- The primary disadvantage of the amendment option is that,
with such widespread opposition to the hate bill, plus demands for hearings,
two negative messages go forth: First, the impression is given of Democratic
contempt for legislative due process, which should include hearings on
highly controversial legislation. Second, it appears the hate bill is
too flawed to sustain rigorous scrutiny. If the Democrats cannot face
Republican questioning and put down, with finality, the characterization
of their hate bill as "pro-pedophile," a very strong message
is sent, even to hate bill supporters in the Senate, that the hate bill
is indefensible -- it does protect pedophiles.
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- We Can Kill the Hate Bill Now!
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- How can lovers of freedom thwart Kennedy? Simple. We
must saturate the entire Senate immediately with this assertion: Abandoning
hearings in the Senate Judiciary and giving Kennedy sole right to move
the hate bill forward via amendment is a high-handed end run around legislative
due process. It demonstrates the hate bill's inability to withstand criticism.
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- If thousands of concerned Americans become publicists
of this indictment to all 100 Senators, Kennedy's amendment will almost
certainly be dealt a death blow. The hate bill will have to stay in Judiciary,
floundering as Judiciary Democrats become increasingly unable to face Republican
and public opposition.
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- If such Senate-spanning bad publicity against the hate
bill goes out NOW, tremendous pressure will be applied to cause the hate
bill to first languish, then die in committee.
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- Start calling all members of the Senate immediately (<http://www.truthtellers.org/actionplan.html>names
available here on the action page at www.truthtellers.org). Don't be content
with calling once. Wait a day and call again. Call toll-free 1-877-851-6437
or toll 1-202-225-3121. Tell them: "Please demand hearings on the
hate bill, S. 909. Don't support Sen. Kennedy's possible strategy of attaching
the hate crimes bill as an amendment to another bill, without hearings.
S. 909 is very dangerous pedophile-protecting legislation which must be
debated. If it's too shaky to survive hearings, it's too shaky to become
the law of the land!"
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- Kennedy could opt to ride the crest of media hype surrounding
the recent deplorable Holocaust museum "hate crime" shooting.
He could introduce his amendment as early as Monday. With release of
the hate bill from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, there could
be little to prevent him from calling for a Senate vote later in the week.
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- If he acts this fast, we must act faster. Call NOW!
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