Republicans are warning against Michigan's new hate crime law that aims to imprison people for "misgendering."
Republican Rep. Brad Paquette (Mich.) said the bill intends to bring a prosecution for hurt feelings, condemning the woke state's radical LGBTQ propaganda.
"The bill is founded in pure narcissism and victim mentality that's built upon gender theory. It's one that seeks to force others who adamantly disagree with gender theory to live in another's delusion," Paquette told the Washington Examiner.
Under the proposed bill, the concept of hate can be binding "regardless of the existence of any other motivating factors."
"I think gender theory is one of the biggest threats to our nation," Paquette continued.
According to bill HB 4474, offenders are "guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than $10,000."
The bill states, "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.
Republican Reps. Matt Maddock and Angela Rigas (Mich.) criticized Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for "controlling how we talk."
"I think she'll find Americans don't take kindly when you try and police our speech," Rigas said.
"The Left has become experts at using the law to prosecute and ultimately persecute their political opposition," Maddock told the Washington Examiner. "Their goal is to silence their opponents, criminalize our thoughts as thoughtcrimes, and put every Christian in prison."
He called for Christians to fight against the woke Left's anti-First Amendment agenda.
The Democrat-controlled state House passed the bill in a 59-50 vote. It now moves to the Michigan State Senate for consideration.
If approved by the state senate, it will head to Whitmer's desk, where she is expected to sign it.
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