ThoughtCrimes bill in Texas Senate

Texas Senate committee passes a "Hate Crimes bill", but it sounds more like a ThoughtCrime bill - political correctness written into the penal code:

HB 824, by Rep. Scott Hochberg (D-Houston), expands hate crimes to now be used to prosecute kids. ... It also allows a judge to order these kids go to re-education program so the child can show he or she has “acceptance” of others, basically forcing them to accept the homosexual lifestyle and not oppose such. The judge can also order the child to perform a project that serves the interest of the offended group of persons.

Free Market Foundation adds: "We have also seen hate crimes law be used as a weapon against free speech, like in the case of the Philadelphia 11." About the Philadelphia 11 case:

The group of Christians, who were given the title Philadelphia 11, had been giving their testimony on public property at the city's tax-funded celebration of homosexuality in the city's downtown in 2004. But based on a 2002 "hate crimes" plan then in force in the state, they were arrested, jailed and threatened with up to five decades in jail.

The criminal charges later were dismissed and the group members then challenged the law itself, suing over its adoption. The Supreme Court's ruling affirms the 4-1 decision in the Commonwealth Court that the amendments were unconstitutional.

More links: Hate crimes - free speech destroyer, and Congressional debate on Federal hate-crimes bill.