Hate-crimes bill disregards blind justice

Blind justice, in which the law serves all citizens equally, is a long-held value of the American justice system. But all of that will change with the passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (S. 909).

Currently being rushed through the Senate, with support from the Obama administration, the “hate-crimes bill” wouldn’t stop at making it a federal crime to commit an act of violence against “protected classes.” It would make it illegal to think certain thoughts, too.

And who are these “protected classes”? Well, let’s put it this way: If you are a white heterosexual, you need not apply. Here is how Attorney General Eric Holder described the beneficiaries of S. 909 in his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee:

“We are talking about crimes that have a historic basis. Groups who have been targeted for violence as a result of their skin color, sexual orientation, that is what this legislation is designed to cover.”

In short, Holder’s response was essentially an open call for Big Government bigotry. Foul deeds are bad, but are made worse when supplemented by historically foul words, or worse, foul thoughts as well. So much for blind justice.

Holder drove the point home that in the Obama administration “equal protection” is apparently an antiquated concept. Asked whether the recent murder of Army recruiter Pvt. William Long by a radical Muslim constituted a “hate crime,” Holder said:

“What we are looking for here in terms of expansion of the statute are instances where there is a historic basis. See groups of people who are singled out for violence perpetrated against them because of who they are. I don’t know if we have the same historical record to say members of our military have been targeted in the same way that people who are African American [have been].”

Make no mistake about it: What the Obama administration is attempting to do under the guise of redressing historical wrongs is stoke the fires of class warfare into deadly conflagration.

By singling out some for special protection and consigning others to malicious prosecution, the Obama-Holder tandem is ringing down the curtain on “equal justice under law,” raising the specter of a country where a small minority of privileged characters (blacks make up approximately 12 percent of the population, homosexuals 2 percent) receive preferential treatment as “special victims.”

Selective punishment mocks the very foundation of “Equal Justice Under Law.” If the Senate passes S. 909, perhaps its next move should be to journey across First Street and chisel that antiquated inscription from the edifice of the nation’s highest court.

Carter Clews is director of communications for Americans for Limited Government.

Other views:

“This legislation sends a clear message to those perpetrators and to all others: In America, we do not tolerate acts of violence motivated by hatred of vulnerable communities.” — Sen. Chuck Shumer, D-N.Y.

“The Matthew Shepard Act applies to violent acts motivated by prejudice. Both the House version of the bill and the Senate version passed as an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill containing explicit language protecting speech and association.” — David Smith, vice president of the Human Rights Campaign