President Obama Signs “Hate Crimes” Bill Into Law

Washington, D.C. – President Obama today signed a controversial “hate crimes” bill into law. Federal law will now provide heightened penalties and greater federal involvement in crimes against homosexuals and transgender persons. Critics fear that the law will be used to intimidate and silence moral opposition to homosexuality.

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, testified before Congress against the hate crimes bill in 2007. Dacus commented, “It is fundamentally unjust for the government to treat some crime victims more favorably than others, just because they are homosexual or transsexual. This bill is an unnecessary federal intrusion into state law enforcement authority, and it is an unwise step toward silencing religious and moral viewpoints.”

Dacus further cautioned that, in other states and foreign nations, the adoption of hate crimes legislation has led to widespread suppression of speech deemed politically incorrect. In California, the state’s hate crimes laws are also commonly invoked as a basis for further laws pushing acceptance of homosexuality in public schools and the workplace. The use of “hate speech” terminology is also now being employed by minority religious groups in America to encourage suppression of free speech. For example, during the hate crimes debate, a prominent Hindu group called on Congress and major internet service providers to shut down websites critical of Hinduism, including websites of Christian missions organizations.

Pacific Justice Institute has successfully represented inpiduals accused of “hate speech” and is committed to defending anyone who is prosecuted under the new hate crimes law because of their religious expression.