Two Demonrats have introduced a bill, the Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014, in the House and Senate which, if passed, will sic Obama’s InJustice Department on any Internet site, broadcast, cable television or radio show determined to be advocating or encouraging “hate crimes” based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
The two Demonrats are Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
The Senate version of the bill is S. 2219; the House version of the bill is H.R. 3878.
Both are titled the Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014: A bill to require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to update a report on the role of telecommunications, including the Internet, in the commission of hate crimes.
The one-page S. 2219 seeks to amend Section 155 of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to read as follows:
Section 155. Report on the role of telecommunications in hate crimes (a) Report required –Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014 , the NTIA [National Telecommunications and Information Administration], with the assistance of the Department of Justice, the Commission, and the United States Commission on Civil Rights, shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate on the role of telecommunications in hate crimes in accordance with subsection (b).
(b) Scope of report –The report required under subsection (a) shall—
(1) analyze information on the use of telecommunications, including the Internet, broadcast television and radio, cable television, public access television, commercial mobile services, and other electronic media, to advocate and encourage violent acts and the commission of crimes of hate, as described in the Hate Crime Statistics Act ( 28 U.S.C. 534 note); (2) include any recommendations, consistent with the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, that the NTIA determines are appropriate and necessary to address the use of telecommunications described in paragraph (1); and (3) update the previous report submitted under this section (as in effect before the date of enactment of the Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014 ).But as Aaron Klein of WND points out, the bill does not define which actions by people on the Internet (such as bloggers), radio, television, and cell phones would be considered to have “encouraged violence” and “hate crimes,” seemingly leaving that open to interpretation.
Both bills, S. 2219 and H.R. 3878, have been referred to committee.
Although Congress’ govtrack.us gives S. 2219 and H.R. 3878 only 3% and 1% chance, respectively, of being enacted, the fact that two Democrats actually proposed this bill, in direct contravention of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment’s guarantee of our right to free speech, should give us pause.
H/t FOTM’s CSM
~Eowyn
