Pat Robertson spoke out on CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) about the Hate Crime Bill that was recently signed by President Obama. More below.
PAT ROBERTSON: The noose has tightened around the necks of Christians to keep them from speaking out on certain moral issues. And it all was embodied in something called the Hate crimes bill that President Obama said was a major victory for America. I’m not sure if America was the beneficiary. [...] We have voted into office a group of people who are opposed to many of the fundamental Christian beliefs of our nation. And they hold to radical ideology, and they are beginning put people sharing their points of view into high office. And not only that, they not only have control of both houses of Congress.
The fact that there are those that feel that the measure of a Christian will be impacted in any way whatsoever by this much needed bill is outrageous, if not morally bankrupt. There is nothing in the bill that restricts speech, or restricts the rights of bigots to be against same-sex couples. Unfortunately, we will always have to live with the Pat Robertsons of the world.
Yet the idea that this bill was not good for America...and that Americans will not benefit from this overdue legislation is a dangerous thing to say from a man with such a platform. Violence against homosexuals is a disgusting example of this nation's lingering bigotry and hate, and the fact that violence and hate has defenders within a religion purported to promote peace and compassion throughout the world is the very epitome of hypocrisy. This bill will benefit Americans. It will give assistance in prosecuting those that would use violence and terror to spread fear into the hearts of those that seek justice and equality. It would protect those that would openly show their dissatisfaction with injustice and inequality and bigotry.
A noose around the necks of Christians? Hardly. A noose around the neck of bigotry, more like.
UPDATE: This update is to call to attention another, more serious matter that I left out of the original text of this diary. The position of Pat Robertson is to purposefully miscontrue the text of the bill to ensure that his follwers continue to believe that they are being somehow silenced. This is dangerous, as Pat's followers are more than happy to commit acts of violence to "defend their faith." Again, Pat, more than likely, knows this bill has nothing-- NOTHING--whatsoever to do with speech. He is deliberatly lying to his viewers to stir them up, to make them believe they exist in a nation that actively wants to persecute them, when the original hate crimes bill actually PROTECTS religious persons! Dangerous talk from a dangerous guy.