go directly to jail

The Standard of Liberty Voice
For God,Religion,Family,Freedom
A publication of The Standard of Liberty Foundation
www.standardofliberty.org
October 18, 2005, #12

Go Directly to Jail

We’ve been watching the new television series, "Prison Break." Suddenly, what we are seeing on TV is a little too close to home. Recently a bill (cleverly attached to the Child Protection Act) was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives that, if passed by the Congress and not vetoed by President Bush, could be used to make me, my husband, and my family criminals. Our congressman’s office assures us this won’t happen, that before it hits Congress, a conference committee will change the wording of the bill. But if it does pass (similar legislation has been passed in Canada), we could be arrested and fined because of my book, my son’s book (coming soon), our web site, and anything we might say in public according to factual information or according to our moral and religious beliefs which is in any way negative toward the homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered way of life. Even saying a homosexual can change, which is true and has been proven, would be labeled “hate speech,” punishable by law, considered a precursor to what they call “actual or perceived hate crimes” against certain government-protected minorities. Even if we don’t say anything against these groups but refuse to encourage them, the government can decide what we are thinking and what our motivations are. George Orwell's thought police are alive and well.

The whole idea of hate crimes is dangerous politically correct hype. According to Jerry Falwell, “Mathew Staver, president and general counsel of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, says that giving special protection to specified groups devalues the lives of others who are not members of those groups. He says that all crime victims suffer, and all should be treated equally under the law.” That’s right. A crime is a crime and people are people, and why should certain groups get special protection? Granted, America has an embarrassing history of prejudicial treatment, but two wrongs don’t make a right. Under this bill, for example, a white man who assaults a black man could be given a much stiffer punishment than a black man who assaults a white man, especially if the black man asserted that the crime was motivated by racial prejudice. The black man would be protected by the thought police, but the white man wouldn’t. Same with say, a Christian vs. a gay person. The Christian could be incarcerated and fined for saying anything against homosexuality while the gay person can say whatever he wants against Christianity and be protected by law. So much for hate crime legislation; it’s just plain unconstitutional. The Constitution already has in place equal protection for all people. We need to enforce our existing laws, not make crazy new ones.

Referring to this bill, Falwell said, “I certainly agree that we must work as a nation to halt sex crimes and to make information available to families regarding dangerous predators [referring to the Child Protection Act]. However, the supplemental hate crimes amendment is terribly perilous for pastors and churches”(Oct. 15, 2005). And, I might add, publishers and radio talk show hosts and anybody else who takes a stand. In Canada, where such a law now exists, Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura are banned.

The GLBT community is elated with the news about the progress of the bill. This means they are happy that a great many people’s freedom of speech is in grave danger. Apparently, the First Amendment applies to them, and not to anybody else.

What makes these people so afraid of other people, especially Christians, pointing to facts and voicing their moral and religious beliefs? I think it’s like we read in the Book of Mormon, that certain people take the truth to be hard. They absolutely hate the ideas of God and goodness, of personal responsibility, of traditional morality. Their attitude is that anybody pushing such ideas deserves to be thrown to the lions! Why? Because they are what Tammy Bruce calls “malignant narcissists.” They think the world revolves around them. They have no concept of empathy or sacrifice or right and wrong. They haven’t got a clue that sometimes you give up something you want to make things better for everybody, like how soldiers risk their lives in wartime for something bigger than themselves. These values are completely foreign to them; these are people who do things like threaten to purposely donate HIV-tainted blood to the Red Cross just so they won’t feel “discriminated against.” They demand their “rights,” even the “right” to give their diseased blood to innocent people.

So why did all but 30 out of 232 Republican congressmen vote for this bill? Maybe they think the Child Protection Act is so important it’s worth making a horrendous concession. Maybe they are being intimidated. Maybe they are afraid of being called homophobes. Maybe they pretend to care about moral values and freedom but really don’t. Maybe they hate Christians (which would be perfectly legal). I don’t know.

If more of us took a stand and spoke out according to the covenants we have made with God, there would not be enough jails to hold us. Talk about a prison break! I’m reminded of 3 Nephi 28:19:“And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to the church. And the prisons could not hold them, for they were rent in twain.”

While you still can, talk about the issues that threaten our freedom to speak, publish, testify, and warn. Call your legislators. Call your congressmen. Call the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bill Frist, 202-224-3344. Educate your family, friends and neighbors and urge them to do the same.

-Stephen & Janice Graham

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