by Kathrine Mills

Created on: October 13, 2009   Last Updated: October 18, 2009

The 2010 Defense Authorization Bill was successful in the House, passing by 281 to 146. Hiding beneath the heavy weight of debate on various defense topics was the new hate crimes bill that targets sexual behavior specifically. The bill adds violence against any person based on disability, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation to those acts defined as hate crimes.

The bill goes to the Senate, possibly this week and if it passes, it will authorize $5 million for fiscal years 2010-11 for Justice Department grants of up to $100,000 to state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials so that they are able to investigate and prosecute hate crimes. As of now, the Senate has given the thumbs up for the attachment. The President promises that if it passes through the Senate, he will sign it into law.

"Hate crimes legislation ... would elevate homosexuals who are victims of violent crimes to special, protected status under the law based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity." - Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Many pastors are growing tense on this move because they fear that their first amendment rights will not be protected. A pastor's job is to preach and teach others about scriptural topics, homosexuality is one addressed in scripture multiple times and thus it must be covered. The fear is, like with gay marriage, that if a pastor speaks about what their denomination or even simple personal conviction tells them the scriptures mean, that they will be prosecuted under the law that is been referred to as "thought crime" legislation.

"This measure is about giving special rights based solely on sexual behavior. All of our citizens deserve equal justice under the law. Do we somehow care less about victims violently assaulted in the act of robbery or during a personal dispute than we do about those assaulted because they belong in a federally designated, politically motivated category." - Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council

Another part of the fears held by those opposing the bill is that their rights are going to be hanging on a law enforcement officials opinion. Let's imagine you get in a heated discussion with someone who just so happens to be on this list of new additions. One thing leads to another and it becomes physical and they call the police. Now, you are left to fend for yourself because all any person has to say is that you were

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