Dear James Dobson:
After reading about your recent broadcast about hate crimes, I have a question:
Whatever happened to the Ninth Commandment?
You know, the one that goes: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
Because here's what you told your audiences about the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009:
The dangerous bill, awaiting Senate consideration, would create a new class of crimes based on the victim's "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Those who speak out against homosexuality, including pastors, could face prosecution for "inciting" violence against gay individuals.
No, they wouldn't. That's a flat-out lie. Here's what the bill says:
Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by, the Constitution.
The only "right" that this bill infringes upon is the "right" of violent yahoos to seek out victims based on their perceived status as a member of a minority group and commit criminal acts against them. That's the right Dobson is defending here.
You also said this about the bill:
Even more concerning, the legislation could create special protection for pedophiles. Democrats voted down an amendment to the bill that would have excluded pedophilia from the definition of "sexual orientation."
There's nothing in either the federal legislation, or in any state law, that could credibly be construed as offering protection to pedophiles. In fact, the entire construct -- that these laws create "protected classes" -- is false to begin with.
But [this] argument appears predicated on the wholly fabricated notion that pedophilia might somehow legally qualify as a "sexual orientation" -- which is to say, it rests on the assumption that homosexuality is somehow akin to pedophilia.
We understand it when right-wing politicians and pundits lie about this bill. We're accustomed to it. It's what they do.
But I thought evangelical religious leaders were supposed to, you know, adhere to the basic standards of their beliefs. It's time you and your brethren stopped lying about this bill.
Sincerely,
Dave N.
Amanda Terkel at ThinkProgress has more.
