Taxachusetts: Jail for dissing 'gays' pulled after publicity
We read:
"A measure in the Massachusetts statehouse to allow jail time for criticism of homosexuality has been pulled abruptly after a conservative group publicized the move by lawmakers.
The apparent precedent of criminalizing opinions about homosexuality had been predicted by opponents of the nation's "hate crimes" law before it was adopted as an amendment to a must-pass military bill in Congress and signed by President Obama last year. According to Mass Resistance, which monitors the state legislature, the lawmakers added to a bill addressing schools an unrelated provision providing the jail time.
The planned addition to the Massachusetts General Laws would have been: "Whoever publishes any false material whether written, printed, electronic, televised, or broadcast with intent to maliciously promote hatred of any group of persons in the commonwealth because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, or disability shall be guilty of libel and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both."
Mass Resistance said the move would be "very extreme." "Similar laws have been used in Canada and other countries to snuff out critical reporting on the homosexual movement and severely prosecute offenders. Note that the word 'hatred' is not defined and is thus completely subjective. And 'false material' lays the burden of proof on the accused, under the judgment of a court or tribunal. So even the threat of a long, expensive trial is enough to silence just about everyone," the group reported.
Spokesman Brian Camenker, however, reported to WND today that less than 24 hours after the issue was publicized, lawmakers removed the provision... He said lawmakers are aware this is an election year and are "walking a tightrope" between advancing the special interests to which they've committed and raising the ire of an electorate that clearly is not aligned with some of those special interests. He said he was glad for the victory but cautious because he doesn't believe the plan is going away.
Source
Leftists really hate normal people. Lucky the mid-terms were looming in the minds of these thug lawmakers.
4 comments:
We need some laws that will punish enforcement of unconstitutional statutes.
Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. Isn't he the former federal judge who was thrown off the bench for bribery and corruption? He must be if he's now a member of congress.
This story explains why the Demoncrats and the hard-core Left fought so hard for the so-called hate crime laws. They were intended to not only give "special" protection to their gay constituents, but also to be used as a "catch-all" law that would punish anyone for saying anything that the Left didn't like. And don't believe for one second that they'll ever stop trying to expand this law.
And since these hate crime laws designate specific groups, (all of whom just happen to be supporters of the Demoncrats) for special protection, do they not violate the "Equal Protection Under The Law" clause in the Constitution?
Homophobe? Not me.
What you do with your body is your business. Smoke 12 cigarettes at a time, guzzle beer 'til you puke; injest the HIV virus -- it's none of the government's business. You have the right to be stupid!
But I am opposed to anti-libertarian components of the gay agenda. These include group rights (as opposed to individual rights), restricting free speech and marriage licenses.
5:28 PM - so tell the guy that you don't really like it! -(or do you?)
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