However, the homosexual lobby has trumpeted high-profile reports of alleged violence, which lacking substantial basis in fact, serve their agenda by creating a political atmosphere for liberal politicians to demand federal "hate crimes" legislation.

Rep. John Conyer's (D-Mich.) March 20th introduction of H.R. 1592 came in the wake of the high profile death of 72-year-old homosexual Andrew Anthos in Detroit. Homosexual activists asserted that in February an unidentified African-American man called Anthos a "faggot" and struck him in the back of the head with a metal pipe, ultimately killing him.

Later investigators in Wayne County, Michigan, determined that this "hate crime" was in fact no "crime" at all - hateful or otherwise - but the result of an accidental fall brought on by severe arthritis in Anthos' neck. Anthos had also been diagnosed with mental illness, and originally told police that he did not know how he was injured until he changed his story a week later to suggest that he was the victim of a "hate crime."

In another disturbing case of political deception, Alex McGillis, a homosexual Boise State University (BSU) student who told police in January an unidentified man beat him from behind with an object while shouting anti-"gay" epithets, later confessed that his "hate crime" was a hoax. He admitted to using a stick and his own fists to injure himself, but by that time student and administrative organizations around Boise State had sponsored the 'No Oppression Tolerated, Not on Our Campus,' rally and a candlelight vigil on the Quad.

In perhaps the most famous "hate crime" case of Matthew Shephard, his murderers said their crime had nothing to do with Sheppard's homosexual orientation, but concerned money for drugs. ABC News' 20/20 admitted after an investigation that the attack had not been a hate crime but was in fact a bungled robbery. Nevertheless, the case generated over 13,500 "Mathew Shepard" news stories, massive TV coverage, two major Hollywood specials, three TV movies, and a play. Rather than prosecute all crimes equally as motivated by "hate", H.R. 1592 would grant the federal government sweeping and entirely subjective authority to regulate the thoughts, words and actions of American citizens who could be accused of "hate crimes" by opposing the lifestyle of a special class of citizens.

During an annual "gay pride" event known as "Outfest" in Philadelphia October 10, 2004, a number of Christians were arrested and charged with "hate crimes" for praying, singing, reading scripture, and handing out leaflets to homosexual attendees. The group faced three felony counts of criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation, and riot and five misdemeanor charges, which would have landed them 47 years in prison without the intervention of a Philadelphia judge who dismissed the charges in February.

In Canada, homosexual activist MP Svend Robinson's generated sympathy for his hate crimes bill C-250 by frequently referring to the US Shepard case. Robinson also heavily exploited the murder of a B.C. homosexual to motivate passage of the Canadian "hate" crimes change. In that case it was also eventually found that the Vancouver victim's sexual orientation had nothing to do with his murder. The law passed in Sept. 2003. Subsequent revelations that the cases he exploited were in fact not "hate" crimes have not led to calls for the repeal of the "hate" crimes law change.

Other incidents of recent "gay-bashing" hoaxes include one in 2005 in Mill Valley California where a high school activist faked a series of gay-bashing incidents at a high school that prompted a police investigation. The student who headed her school's Gay-Straight Alliance admitted that she had herself been the perpetrator of the incidents, including vandalizing her own car with derogatory graffiti and making threatening phone calls to teachers.

See related LifeSiteNews coverage:

Prayer and Scripture Reading During Gay Celebration Could Cost Christians 47 Years in Prison
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/dec/04121704.html ;

Judge drops 'Hate Crimes' Charge against 'Philly 5' for Preaching at Gay Festival
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/feb/05021808.html

Key French "Homophobic" Violence Case Dropped Long After Hate Crimes Law Installed
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/sep/06092909.html