It’s bad enough that Planned Parenthood is upping the death toll in New York by offering free abortions there as a public service in response to the massive killings in the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Now, another amazing thing is occurring.
Amid all the talk of unity and moral renewal, liberals are trying to jam through perhaps the most divisive agenda in America: “gay rights.” They are hoping that nobody will dare to oppose them for fear of being called – what else? – “divisive.”
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., are promoting “gay marriage,” a “gay” jobs bill, and “hate crime” measures that promote “sexual orientation” as a category equivalent to skin color.
Rep. Kolbe, an open homosexual, used his considerable influence to engineer a voice vote last Thursday by the House Appropriations Committee to approve a measure lifting the ban on federal funds to facilitate a “domestic partners” law in the District of Columbia. Only two Republicans, Ernest Istook (Oklahoma) and Todd Tiarht (Kansas), spoke against it. As chairman of the powerful Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs, Kolbe knew that few congressmen would buck him on his pet project. According to political correctness, we are not supposed to think that Kolbe’s being “gay” makes any difference at all in how he does his job. Apparently, it does. Nothing – not even a national crisis – is more important, it seems, than advancing homosexual activism.
Meanwhile, Ted Kennedy surprised Washington by announcing hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Oct. 2 for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill that would vastly increase federal power over employers by adding “sexual orientation” to civil rights law. This would have the effect of turning Christians, Jews and Muslims into “bigots” in their own workplaces with respect to sexual morality. Congressional leaders had assumed that ENDA would not be taken up until next year.
While the media bash Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson over their remarks blaming homosexuals and others for precipitating the terror attack, Kennedy is planning to add “hate crimes” legislation to an appropriations bill sometime soon. This would chill freedom of speech over the issue of homosexuality, as similar laws already have in New York, San Francisco and in Canada.
It scarcely matters that Rev. Falwell has manfully apologized and that Rev. Robertson has also distanced himself from the statements. Bashing Christian conservatives has become a national media sport. What better time to jam through the homosexual agenda?
In California, on the very day after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Democrat-dominated legislature ignored Californians’ massive support last year for pro-marriage Prop. 22. On a party-line vote, they passed a bill granting 12 marital benefits to homosexual couples, and one to live-in heterosexual couples when one of the partners is 62 or older. The bill, awaiting Gov. Gray Davis’ signature, effectively creates “gay marriage” in all but name and encourages senior citizens to shack up. A companion bill to create Vermont-style “civil unions” is pending.
Kennedy is reportedly planning to use scattered attacks on American Muslims and Arabs to justify his homosexual hate crimes bill. But there is no evidence that such crimes are not being prosecuted. In fact, Assistant Attorney General Ralph F. Boyd issued a statement Thursday warning that the Justice Department will give such incidents top priority:
“The Attorney General has made clear that any act of violence or discrimination against a person based on the perceived race, religion or national origin of that person is contrary to our fundamental principles and the laws of the United States,” Boyd wrote. “Any threats of violence or discrimination against Arab or Muslim Americans or Americans of South Asian descent are not just wrong and un-American, but also are unlawful and will be treated as such.”
To their credit, some Democratic leaders have pledged not to bring up divisive social issues for the time being. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said, “Our number one priority is going to be responding to this crisis. Beyond that, it will be economic development. That’s where members’ attention is going to be focused.” According to The Hill newspaper, “Democrats hope the most divisive issues are postponed until next year.”
So why are Kennedy and company suddenly pushing ENDA and hate crimes – not to mention Republican Kolbe’s bid to create “gay marriage” in the District?
Americans need to ask hard questions about liberals’ priorities.
President Bush has enough to do preparing America for war without having to contend with hot-button social issues. He needs to tell political leaders of both parties to put out the word: Back off!
Robert H. Knight is the director of the Culture and Family Institute, an affiliate of Concerned Women for America.
