ACLU Says Hate Crimes Bill Protects Free Speech

ACLU SAYS HATE CRIMES BILL PROTECTS FREE SPEECH
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Under a bill introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) and supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, bigoted comments would still be considered protected speech. But the bill, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, would allow federal law enforcement officers to more easily investigate and prosecute hate crimes. The bill punishes only the conduct of targeting someone for violence because of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It allows bigoted speech or association with hate groups as evidence, but only if it is directly related to the crime. The FCC has received complaints about the racist comments of radio shock jock Don Imus , but its regulatory authority does not extend to bigoted comments short of hate speech that incites violence, similar to the limitation in the new bill.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6433544.html