[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H5665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
  THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER MUST STOP ITS RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE

  (Mrs. HARTZLER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. HARTZLER. I rise today to speak against the discriminatory 
practice of the Southern Poverty Law Center through the use of so-
called ``hatemapping'' and its proliferation of intolerance. While the 
group claims to be dedicated to fighting hatred and bigotry, the 
Southern Poverty Law Center has, instead, placed itself at the 
forefront of Christian persecution and religious intolerance.
  Because of its misplaced hatemapping, on August 15 of last year, 
Floyd Lee Corkins entered the Family Research Council and shot and 
badly wounded Building Manager Leo Johnson, who stopped Corkins' 
intended killing spree. The SPLC's radical intolerance of traditional 
values is not only hyperpolarizing, but spurred on this violence.
  Spreading discrimination against those who believe in traditional 
Christian values is not, in fact, fighting hatred; rather, it is 
espousing further bigotry.
  Our country was founded on the principles of religious freedom. When 
the SPLC demonizes any group or person who remains steadfast in their 
religious convictions, it only increases the amount of intolerance in 
our society.
  So I ask my fellow Members to join me in fighting against religious 
intolerance in the world today by calling for an end to religious 
intolerance against all groups, including those with Christian beliefs.

                          ____________________