Michigan’s Democrat-controlled House of Representatives recently passed “hate speech” legislation that would criminalize calling someone by the ‘wrong pronouns.’
HB 4474 introduces criminal penalties for causing someone to ‘feel threatened, frightened or terrorized by words.’
The clearly unconstitutional thoughtcrime legislation would punish offenders by imprisonment for not more than five years or by a fine of not more than $10,000.
Using somebody's wrong pronouns is about to become a felony in Michigan punishable by 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
This is in addition to using words that cause somebody to "feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened"
HB 4474 has already passed the state House of Reps pic.twitter.com/FxPQLVZeKI
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 29, 2023
According to the Daily Mail, the legislation aims to replace the existing Ethnic Intimidation Act to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” as protected classes.
Daily Mail reports:
It is part of a continues effort by Democrats in the state to advance a pro-LGBTQ+ agenda in their first months in power.
The proposed legislation aims to replace the existing Ethnic Intimidation Act and extends protection against intimidation.
Critics argue that the bill poses a threat to First Amendment rights and lacks clarity in defining ‘harassment’, leaving it open to subjective interpretation.
The bill reads as follows: ‘Intimidate’ means a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable individual to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened, and that actually causes the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened.’
If passed, penalties would be based on how the supposed victim and court ‘feel’ about a particular matter.
What constitutes as being deemed ‘intimidation and harassment’ would be up to the interpretation of the listener and a local prosecutor.
Critics argue that the legislation could infringe on free speech rights and undermine the principles of due process.
This is crazy and completely unconstitutional!
FTA: Michigan's House of Representatives has passed a hate speech bill, known as HB 4474, which criminalizes causing someone to feel threatened by words, including the misusing of their pronouns, with the possibility of a hefty… pic.twitter.com/c3Dyb6o0Ho
— Lisa Mei (@TheNotoriousLMC) June 30, 2023
Fox News noted:
According to the bill, “‘Gender identity or expression’ means having or being perceived as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth.”
Critics are accusing the bill of violating the First Amendment.
“Make no mistake about it. Those advocating for this legislation will wield these policies as a weapon capable of destroying conservative expression or viewpoints grounded in the sacred,” Distinguished Professor Emeritus William Wagner told media outlet The Daily Wire.
“The state of Michigan is now explicitly allowing the gender delusion issue to be used as a ‘protected class.’ This opens up numerous issues when it comes to the courts and the continued weaponization of the system against conservatives,” State Rep. Angela Rigas said of the bill.
She continued, “We saw similar concerns when they wanted to pass blocks on ‘conversion’ therapy. It seems Dems want to be in the business of telling people how to think.”
The bill was passed by the Democrat-controlled state House in a 59-50 vote. It now moves to the Michigan State Senate for consideration.
If approved by the state senate, it will be sent for approval to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to sign it.
Read the full text of HB 4474:
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