WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman J. Gresham Barrett (SC, 03) today took a stand for freedom of speech and voted against H.R. 1913, the Hate Crimes Bill. Barrett issued the following statement in response to the legislation’s passage:

“Under this bill, justice will no longer be equal. It will depend on a victim’s race, gender or sexual orientation. This legislation would allow for different penalties to be imposed for the same crime. While I am not a constitutional scholar, it is abundantly clear to me that this bill would violate the 14th Amendment by creating a special class of victims who deserve some kind of special protection under the law. More importantly, I fear this legislation would unwind a key thread of our judicial system by placing a higher value on one life or lifestyle over another.

“In addition to creating a special class of victims, this legislation could allow for the criminal prosecution of religious leaders or members of religious groups who express the beliefs of their respective faiths. Pastors, imams and rabbis across the country would now be forced to question the legality of the words they preach. Consequently, this bill would inhibit religious freedom in our society.  

“Unfortunately, constitutionally-protected speech is not the only freedom jeopardized by the Hate Crimes Bill. This legislation would go so far as to criminalize thought. No matter how fervently we disagree with what someone thinks, we cannot punish them for thinking it. It is the criminal action that merits swift justice; not the thought or motivation.”