Hate Crimes Charges Sought Against Homosexual Protestors reads
the headline on the conservative CNSNews.com website. It seems that
the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts is seeking state and
federal hate crimes charges against gay protestors who "disturbed"
Sunday's Mass at Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross to protest
the Church's opposition to gay marriage. According to C.J. Doyle,
executive director of the league:
"A number of them embraced one another, held hands, and at least two male homosexuals kissed each other. -- A number of parishioners had to get up and actually move because either their view of the sanctuary was being blocked or because they felt somehow threatened or menaced by these protestors."
One of the protestors, Mark Snyder of QueerToday.com, is quoted as saying he found it "hurtful and offensive that I'm being accused of a hate crime because I've been a victim of hate crimes before growing up" -- for example, being "verbally and physically harassed on a daily basis" at high school.
I don't want to be flippant about actual cases of gays, and gay kids, being physically threatened -- or worse. But the language of "hate crimes" has become so whiney and malleable that it's a wonder the other side hasn't caught on sooner to how it can be used to silence dissent.
Real crimes of violence and the threat of violence should be
prosecuted. But when "hurtful speech" or obnoxious behavior that
makes people feel bad is elevated to the level of "hate crimes,"
then it's not surprising that the right of gay activists to "act
up" is also going to come under attack.