Thomas More Law Center Vocalizes Opposition to "Hate Crime Act" in Lawsuit
Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Updated: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
On February 2, 2010, the ThomasMoreLawCenter based in Ann Arbor filed a lawsuit on behalf of three Michigan pastors in opposition to the recently passed federal Hate Crimes Act.
Gary Glenn, President of the American Family Association of Michigan, is the leading plaintiff in this case. This is in addition to Pastor Levin Yuille, Pastor Rene Ouelette, and Pastor James Combs, who are publicly challenging the constitutionality of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act.
The 27-page complaint is being filed by the ThomasMoreLawCenter, in support of the plaintiffs named above. According to the complain, plaintiffs challenge the Act which “criminalizes so-called ‘bias’ crimes motivated by a person’s ‘actual or perceived’ ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity” and elevates them to a “special, protected class of persons” under the federal law. The ThomasMoreLawCenter is a national public interest law firm located in Ann Arbor.
When asked why the Hate Crimes Act is being enacted now, Glenn responded,“Its intent is to demonize and eventually criminalize public expressions of opposition to homosexual behavior and the political agenda which seeks to promote, protect, and enable such behavior, despite its documented threat to both personal and public health.”
Glenn has stated that Congress lacked authority to enact the Hate Crimes Act under the Constitution. According to Glenn, “Under the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, any power not expressly delegated to Congress is reserved to the states and to the people thereof.”
Glenn further explained this lack of Congressional authority. He stated, “The Constitution does not expressly grant Congress the power to intervene in local law enforcement matters, much less to establish unequal penalties for criminal offenses based on membership or nonmembership in special "protected class" categories such as so-called "sexual orientation."
Another reason the ThomasMoreCenter has stated it is pursuing this litigation is due to the inequality created amongst different groups of people.
Treating homosexuals as a “protected class” of people is a major issue of contention in this lawsuit being brought by the ThomasMoreLawCenter. The MoreCenter is filing this lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.
In a press release from the ThomasMoreCenter, Robert Muise explained how a separate class of people “more equal than others” is created unconstitutionally under the Hate Crimes Act. Muise stated, “This new federal law promotes two Orwellian concepts. It creates a special class of persons who are ‘more equal than others’ based on nothing more than deviant, sexual behavior.”
Another problem with the newly enacted Hate Crimes Act is its protection for pedophiles. When asked how this law could potentially protect pedophiles, Gary Glenn commented that the Democrats in Congress had voted down an amendment protecting children. The amendment would have not provided “special protection to individuals who claim that their “sexual orientation” is to be sexually attracted to small children.” Democrats in Michigan also voted down a similar amendment last year when it passed a similar bill.
President of AFAM, Gary Glenn, clarified the repercussions of not passing an amendment protecting children. “Thus, a parent or other individual who physically intervened to block the sexual advances of an adult toward minor children could conceivably be accused of committing a "hate crime" motivated by animus against the pedophile's alleged "sexual orientation."
Glenn also noted, “The oppression of and hostility toward religion by the federal courts started half a century ago,” and continued, “and individuals are now being compelled by the state to accommodate and enable homosexual behavior or be punished for refusing to do so.” The case currently remains in litigation.
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