Senate passes defense bill with hate crimes legislation attached (update)

   AP Photo of White House

The defense bill was passed in the Senate by a vote of 68-29. This bill has ‘hate crimes’ legislation attached that considers violence against people for their sexual persuasion a federal hate crime. President Obama has vowed to pass this bill into law.

Conservatives have rallied against this bill based on the potential to infringe on free speech. Some believe this law could be interpreted to prosecute anyone who speaks up against homosexuality (see previous article).

Christian Post reported that Dr. Robert A. J. Gagnon, associate professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, sees this legislation as "the Trojan horse of an aggressive gay/transgender lobby." Now that this is passed, similar laws are soon to follow. Dr. Gagnon believes this will stigmatize those who "oppose homosexual practice and transgenderism."

A CNN article noted that Attorney General Eric Holder stated this law would not be used to prosecute people because of "controversial racial or religious beliefs;" rather, just "violent acts based on bias."

Our Florida Senators were split on this vote; George LeMieux voted against the bill, and Bill Nelson voted to pass it. No other statements were made at the time of this writing.