Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., a member of the conservative coalition known as the Arlington Group, says the measure would have a chilling effect on the religious liberty of pastors.
“Back in 2006, [Democratic Representative] Artur Davis from Alabama, who will be running for governor by the way in that great state, made a statement to [Representative] Louie Gohmert [R-Texas] in a [House] subcommittee meeting that a pastor could be held liable or [as] a co-conspirator of sorts in a hate crime if we found out that his preaching and teaching incited — according to their thinking — someone to commit a violent act against someone that is gay,” Jackson explains.
In the previous Congress, Senate Democrats tried to add hate-crimes legislation as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill. Many conservative activists expect that will be attempted again before the August recess.
(Source: OneNewsNow)