Hate Crimes Bill Just Introduced

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 has recently been put before the House by Ted Kennedy and a RINO from Oregon. The ACLU welcomes it here. It is designed to create "hate crimes" throughout the USA.

Christian groups have opposed it vociferously but I am not sure why. Read the bill here and you will see that it concerns "bodily injury" only. I cannot imagine Christians going out and bashing queers. Romans chapter 1 tells us that judgment belongs to God in the matter. Stoning "men who lie with men" went out with Leviticus.

I take the usual libertarian view that actual acts harmful to others are all that should be punished so whether the crime is motivated by greed, hate, lust or whatever seems irrelevant to me but I can see no free speech issues in the bill.

The ACLU says that the bill contains "clear protections for free speech and free association" but that is a lie. The bill does not mention speech at all. But if the First Amendment does not protect free speech, putting it in a bill would be irrelevant anyway.