The revelations came from Holder's June testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was taking comments on the so-called "hate crimes" proposal. It also was the subject of discussion on talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh's July 3 show.
"This is the question," Limbaugh said. "[Sen.] Jeff Sessions [R-Ala.] presents a hypothetical where a minister gives a sermon, quotes the Bible about homosexuality and is thereafter attacked by a gay activist because of what the minister said about his religious beliefs and what Scripture says about homosexuality. Is the minister protected?"
No, said Holder.
"Well, the statute would not would not necessarily cover that. We're talking about crimes that have a historic basis. Groups who have been targeted for violence as a result of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, that is what this statute tends is designed to cover. We don't have the indication that the attack was motivated by a person's desire to strike at somebody who was in one of these protected groups. That would not be covered by the statute," Holder stated.
Continued Limbaugh, "In other words: ministers and whites are not covered by the hate crime statute because we're talking about crimes that have a historic basis, groups who have been targeted for violence as a result of their skin color, sexual orientation. So hate crimes are reserved exclusively for blacks and homosexuals. Everybody else can get to the back of the bus on this one."
As WND has reported, the House version would provide special protections to homosexuals, essentially designating them as a "protected class." However, it could leave Christian ministers open to prosecution should their teachings be linked to any subsequent offense, by anyone, against a homosexual person. The bill earned its nickname, "The Pedophile Protection Act," when Rep. Steve King suggested an amendment during its trek through the U.S. House that would specify pedophiles could not use the law to protect their activities.
Majority Democrats flatly refused.
Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention, has said such a law by definition requires judges to determine what those accused of crimes were thinking.
"This could create a chilling effect on religious speech, connecting innocent expression of religious belief to acts of violence against individuals afforded special protections," he wrote. "The criminalization of religious speech, such as speech against the practice of homosexuality, has already been seen in other countries with similar hate crimes legislation in place."
Limbaugh has also warned his audience about the advancing threat of "hate crimes" laws.
"Some people are going to be put in jail for things that they say," he said. "Hate crime legislation. That's where they determine what's in your mind when you commit a crime. That's when they decide what you were thinking If you were thinking unapproved thoughts, that would make the crime you committed even worse."
President Obama, supported strongly during his campaign by homosexual advocates, has indicated that he would like to see the legislation become law.
"I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance."
Dems sneaking 'hate crimes' through on soldiers' bill Piggybacking onto military funding legislation
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