Locking up the Christians!?!?

Today, talking about a potential Barack Obama presidency, a caller said:

"I honestly believe that, you know, um, you know, people are going to be going to jail for saying homosexuality is wrong, you know, ah, ya know. That's the one thing that concerns me the most."

Bob replied:

"Well I think that will eventually happen. I don't think that will happen quick enough within his term, but I think Obama will kind of lay the ground work to eventually usher in that day with some of this hate crimes legislation and such."

I thought:

"What the hell is he talking about!?!?

Where do Bob and his acolytes get evidence for believing that the government is going to be able to imprison you for speaking out against homosexuality. Let's delineate why this is completely absurd:

1. The U.S. federal government has had hate crime laws on the books since 1969. These laws don't cover sexual orientation bias. They do cover race, color, religion, or national origin. Has the government been imprisoning people for simply saying they hate blacks? Or that Jews are the devil? Or that illegal immigrants should be rounded up and deported? NO! So why does Bob think if federal hate crime laws are extended to include sexual orientation, he's going to go to jail for saying speaking out against homosexuality?

2. The vast majority of crime prosecution is done by the individual states and not the federal government. Thirty-two of those states have hate crime legislation that covers sexual orientation. Have these state governments been imprisoning people for speaking out against homosexuality? NO!

3. The U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of speech. The Supreme Court has held that this right includes the ability to burn a cross!

But Bob believes that liberals are going to lock up Christians for saying that gays are sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth.

So don't worry, Bob. After the 2009 Congress passes revised hate crime legislation that is signed into law by President Obama, you'll still be able to be be an ignorant little bigot on the public airwaves. You'll be able the spread fear and loathing by announcing that the Bible prohibits gay sex and non-closeted homosexuals are going to straight to hell.

I promise I won't turn you in to the thought police!