hate crimes Archives – Concerned Women for America

Mar 05 2019

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Light Up the Switchboard in Opposition to “Hate Crimes”

HB 426, the “hate crimes” bill, could be voted on by the full House on Thursday, March 7. This very dangerous bill, sponsored by Republican State House member Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), needs to be stopped in its tracks.

Talking Points on HB 426:

Violates equal protection by treating some victims as more worthy of protection than others.
Punishes thoughts, not actions. Hate crimes bills ignore that the act is already a crime; instead, they ramp up punishment because the perpetrator was thinking something which the government disapproves. Empowering the government to assess and approve/disapprove thoughts is a very totalitarian concept.
Injects identity politics into Georgia criminal law.
Will inevitably be used against Christians, as has happened in Canada and the United Kingdom.
For the first time in Georgia Code, enshrines “sexual orientation” as worthy of special protection.
Does not define “sexual orientation,” leaving that term open to expansion. The American Psychological Association and other LGBT activists are already pushing to have pedophilia reclassified as a sexual orientation.

Immediate Action Needed!
Just two calls are needed on the bill.

Contact Rep. Chuck Efstration, the bill sponsor, and urge him to pull the bill. Phone: 404-656-5105 | E-mail ([email protected])
Contact your House member and urge him/her to vote NO on the so-called “hate crimes” bill should it come to the floor for a vote. Click here to find your House member. Type in your address in the box on the right side of the page.

Please pray against the Enemy as David did in Psalm 55:9, “Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words … ”

Thank you for taking the time to make the two calls.

Tanya Ditty
State Director

Jane Robbins
Legislative Liaison

Mar 12 2018

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3-12-18 State Legislative Update – Faith-Based Adoptions and Hate Crimes (Again)

By State Staff | Georgia | No Comments

Hate Crimes

Legislation is never considered dead until the legislative session is over. And that cannot be truer concerning the resuscitation of the “hate crimes” bill. Last Thursday, in a crafty maneuver, the “hate crimes” bill found new life by placing the “hate crimes” language into SB 373. The bill passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is now in the Rules Committee. The bill would add additional punishments for crimes committed against protected classes of people based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and more.

Please read our talking points concerning the dangers of “hate crime” laws.

Should this bill pass, individuals in Georgia could claim, and courts interpret, that merely expressing one’s sincerely held beliefs is “intimidating” or represents a “threat” of force. “Hate crime” laws are already being used to intimidate and punish people who honor natural sexuality and value marriage as the union of one man and one woman. If a person speaks out against various sexual behaviors, they may be accused of “hate speech” and promoting “hate crimes.”

Action Item: SB 373 (committee substitute) is moving quickly and phone calls are needed immediately. Would you make three phone calls today to stop this very dangerous bill?

Contact the Speaker of the House, David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), and respectfully urge him to stop SB 373 from moving forward. E-mail him and/or call his office at (404) 656-5020.
Contact Rules Chairman John Meadows, and respectfully urge him to stop SB 373 from moving forward. E-mail him and/or call his office at (404) 656-5141.
Contact your state representative and urge him or her to OPPOSE SB 373 should it come to a floor for a vote. If you do not know who your representative is, click here.

Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Georgia.

Please pray for the Lord’s intervention on the hate crimes bill. Ask the Lord to stop the bill in its tracks and claim Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

Adoption and Foster Care Legislation

Status: SB 375, the “Keep Faith in Adoption and Foster Care Act”, is languishing in the House Judiciary Committee. SB 375 will ensure that the State of Georgia will continue to respect the special missions of faith-based child-placing agencies as this State has always done. Georgia has the constitutional duty to proactively protect the first freedom of the First Amendment for religious persons and their institutions.

Action: Contact Gov. Nathan Deal and urge him to put his support behind SB 375 and help move the bill forward. Use the Online Contact Form or call his office at (404)656-1776. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Georgia.

Please pray that Gov. Deal will recognize the importance of protecting faith-based adoption agencies. James 5:16 promises that, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Once again, thank you for both your prayers and action.

Tanya Ditty
State Director
CWA of Georgia

Feb 16 2018

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State Legislative Update: Adoptions, Hate Crimes, and Religious Freedom

By State Staff | Georgia | No Comments

The 2018 legislative session is at its halfway mark, and CWA of Georgia is actively representing you at the State Capitol on issues that are important to you. I wanted to update you on three issues that we have been working on very closely.

Adoption and Foster Care Legislation
The House and Senate passed HB 159, the massive rewrite of Georgia’s adoption code which hadn’t been updated since 1990. Because faith-based adoption agency protections were removed from HB 159, Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick) has introduced SB 375, the “Keep Faith in Adoption and Foster Care Act.” SB 375 will ensure that the State of Georgia will continue to respect the special missions of faith-based child-placing agencies as this State has always done. This State has the constitutional duty to proactively protect the first freedom of the First Amendment for religious persons and their institutions.

Status: HB 375 is working its way through the Senate. I testified in support of SB 375 at the subcommittee hearing. It should be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.

Action: Call or e-mail your state senator and urge him/her to support SB 375 when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote. Click here to locate your state senator. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Georgia.

Please pray that SB 375 will pass both the House and Senate and that Gov. Deal will sign the bill. The spiritual warfare is great on this bill. There are many who want faith-based adoption agencies and faith-based foster care organizations eliminated in Georgia.

Hate Crimes Legislation
Three state-level “hate crimes” bills have been filed in the Georgia legislature. HB 660 has been introduced by Rep. Megan Hanson (R-Brookhaven). HB 663 and SB 316 have been introduced by Rep. Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain) and Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), respectively. All three bills would add additional punishments for crimes committed against protected classes of people based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, mental disability, and physical disability.

Please read our talking points concerning the dangers of “hate crime” laws.

Status: HB 660, HB 663, and SB 316 were heard in subcommittee this week, but no votes were taken. I testified at all three hearings in opposition to the bills. Read my testimony here.

Action: No action is needed at this time.

Religious Freedom Legislation
The fight to pass modest religious freedom legislation still continues! SB 233, a state-level Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that provides religious liberty protections for people of all faiths living in Georgia, is languishing in committee.

Watch this video that explains why Georgia must pass SB 233, a state-level Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Action: No action is needed at this time.

Pray that SB 233 moves and that the Senate will have an opportunity to vote for the bill.

Additional Legislation
We are monitoring several other bills on issues such as casinos, marijuana, sex trafficking, and pornography. Click here for the latest updates on CWA of Georgia’s targeted list of bills.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

Once again, thank you for both your prayers and action.

Tanya Ditty
State Director

Jan 21 2018

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Thought Crimes Bills Filed in Georgia Legislature

By State Staff | Georgia | No Comments

Three state-level “hate crimes” bills have been filed in the Georgia legislature. HB 660 has been introduced by Rep. Megan Hanson (R-Brookhaven). HB 663 and SB 316 have been introduced by Rep. Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain) and Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) respectively. All three bills would add additional punishments for crimes committed against protected classes of people based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, mental disability, and physical disability.

Georgia is one of five states in the country that does not have some sort of state-level “hate crimes” law, and it needs to stay that way. “Hate crime” laws violate the Constitution’s 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law, and they threaten freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.

Click here to read talking points.

Should HB 660, HB 663 or SB 316 pass, individuals in Georgia could claim, and courts interpret, that merely expressing one’s sincerely held beliefs is “intimidating” or represents a “threat” of force. “Hate crime” laws are already being used to intimidate and punish people who honor natural sexuality and value marriage as the union of a man and a woman. If a person speaks out against various sexual behaviors, they may be accused of “hate speech” and promoting “hate crimes.”

Would you make four phone calls today to stop these very dangerous bills?

Contact Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (Republican) and Sen. Jesse Stone (R-Waynesboro), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and respectfully urge them not to allow SB 316 to have a hearing.
#1 – Lt. Governor Casey Cagle
Complete the contact page and/or call his office at (404) 656-5030.

#2 – Sen. Jesse Stone
E-mail him and/or call his office at (404) 463-1314.

#3- Contact the Speaker of the House, David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), and respectfully urge him not to allow HB 660 or HB 663 to have a hearing:
E-mail him and/or call his office at (404) 656-5020.

#4- Contact Rep. Rich Golick, chairman of the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, and respectfully urge him not to allow HB 660 or HB 663 to have a hearing:
E-mail him and/or call his office at (404) 656-5943.

Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Georgia.

Please pray specifically for Lt. Governor Cagle, Speaker Ralston, Sen. Stone and Rep. Golick. Ask the Lord to move in their hearts and not allow the bills to be heard in committee.

Once again, thank you for both your prayers and action.

Tanya Ditty
State Director
CWA of Georgia
[email protected]