Do Thought Crime laws limit freedom of speech and freedom of religion?
In some jurisdictions that have adopted these laws, “hate crimes” have been defined to include not just violent physical acts, but merely verbal ones as well, using terms like “hate speech,” “intimidation,” and even verbal “assault.” When Thought Crime laws are interpreted in this way, they pose a serious threat to freedom of speech and religious liberty. Indeed, Christians have already been prosecuted under Thought Crime laws for peacefully expressing disapproval of homosexual behavior in Sweden, England, Canada, and even in Philadelphia. Would the proposed federal Thought Crime law allow people to be prosecuted for speech alone? The bills that have been introduced in Congress in recent years target only violent actions, not peaceful expressions of opinion (only someone who “willfully causes bodily injury” or “attempts to cause bodily injury” could be charged). Nevertheless, by ratifying the Thought Crimes mentality, this bill paves the way for future expansions of its scope in ways t
