LaBarbera: No special legislation needed in TN church shooting case
Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 7/29/2008 4:00:00 AM
According to police reports, Jim Adkisson walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville on Sunday and opened fire -- killing two and wounding five others. Authorities believe Adkisson selected the congregation because of its liberal social stance, including support for homosexual causes.
Shortly after the shootings took place, pro-homosexual groups such as the Human Rights Campaign were offering assistance to the church. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality thinks groups with agendas similar to HRC's will use the tragedy to continue their push for federal hate crimes legislation.
"The fact is, this case will get the attention it deserves -- and I believe this man could be given the death penalty, without any extra help from the feds and any sort of hate crimes prosecution," he explains. "If he's guilty of murder, and [if] the facts are true, he should get the death penalty."
The pro-family advocate adds that the homosexual movement gets favorable treatment within the media, and LaBarbera says with that type of coverage there is no need for special legislation to "give more attention and better treatment to this case." He adds that with the media spotlight on the incident, "it proves our case" that hate crimes laws are not necessary.
During a candlelight vigil on Monday night, a representative from the Human Rights Campaign -- the largest pro-homosexual lobby group in America -- was on hand. LaBarbera expects homosexual activists to try and link Adkisson to the pro-family movement.
