While Google Alert produces scores of items on yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on the S.909, the Hate Crime Bill, only a few go beyond summarizing Attorney General Eric Holder’s submission to give even a cursory account of what was said in opposition. So once again we are reliant on the invaluable service supplied by the Rev Ted Pike (sign up at the top of his web site for his email... 

In a major strategic shift, Senate Democratic leaders will push the federal hate crimes bill to the floor of the Senate as another amendment to a “must-pass” bill (Washington Blade, www.washblade.com, June 8, 2009, “Senate to Pass Hate Crimes Bill as Amendment”). Widespread Christian/conservative protest has destroyed the bill’s chances of going forward as standalone legislation... 

Sen. Kennedy’s hate crime amendment, approved by the U.S. House and Senate, was stripped from the National Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 1585, midday Thursday. Congressional Quarterly reports that support for the arms/hate bill bureau had so eroded in the House that Democrats were forty votes short of passage. This great victory confirms that massive last-minute opposition from the evangelical...