The Matthew Shepard Act was recently signed into law. It expands the definitions of hate crimes and when the feds can prosecute them, but some locals aren’t happy. Specifically, Jan Markell of the Maple Grove–based Olive Tree Ministries:
“I think that Christians who dare to tell the truth — including this program — about the social, moral, spiritual and health consequences of illicit homosexual acts are accused of hate speech and intimated into silence with threats of fines or jail,”
By the way, the hate crime bill very clearly protects freedom of speech: the legislation has provisions that ensure that prosecution would be based only on violent acts based on bias.
Latest comment — Skug: Just to be clear, it is motive, not intent, that lays the foundation for a hate crime under this bill. The bill defines the offense as causing h...