What the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill Really Says

I posted earlier today about the explosin of lies coming from the Christianists over the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill (the photo at left is where Shepard's was found bound and beaten) now before the U.S. Senate. An anonymous commenter in a snide tone - it's always the anonymous commenters that are snippy and nasty - asked why I had not documented that the Christianists statements were not true. In fact, I have quoted portions of the bill (S. 909) in prior posts, but to prove to those who do not want to believe that "Godly Christians" lie incessantly, here are some more exerpts. Note that the bill talks of acts of BODILY INJURY, not speech or sermons:

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‘Sec. 249. Hate crime acts
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(a) In General-
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(2) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY-

(A) IN GENERAL- Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, in any circumstance described in subparagraph (B) or paragraph (3), willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person--
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(i) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
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(ii) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
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(I) death results from the offense; or
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(II) the offense includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
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(c) Definitions- In this section--

(1) the term ‘bodily injury’ has the meaning given such term in section 1365(h)(4) of this title, but does not include solely emotional or psychological harm to the victim;
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(2) the term ‘explosive or incendiary device’ has the meaning given such term in section 232 of this title;
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(3) the term ‘firearm’ has the meaning given such term in section 921(a) of this title; and
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(4) the term ‘gender identity’ for the purposes of this chapter means actual or perceived gender-related characteristics.

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Of equal importance are the following exemptions from application of the Bills protections based on sexual orientation or gender expression:

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(3) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence.
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(4) FREE EXPRESSION- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual’s expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual’s membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.

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Again, there is no way to put it nicely. Daddy Dobson, Janet Folger Porter and the rest of the professional Christian hacks decrying the hate crimes bill are LIARS and they are lying DELIBERATELY. They care NOTHING about the truth and are nothing less than shameless demagogues who are likely putting money in their pockets derived from the the ignorant, bigoted, or uninformed. Their conduct is anything but Christ like.