WASHINGTON — The Rev. Dr. Kathy McCallie, pastor at the Church of the Open Arms in Oklahoma City, came here last week to speak out against bias toward gays and lesbians and found some toward her state. When she told people she was here from Oklahoma, she said, they were surprised because they had the perception that "Oklahoma would be behind the game on this,” meaning unsympathetic about discrimination toward gays and lesbians.

She assured them that "there's diversity of opinion in Oklahoma, too.”

The Human Rights Campaign, a Washington-based gay rights organization, hoped to show Capitol Hill that there are people in all states who support federal protection for gays and lesbians, and they chose clergy to deliver the message to lawmakers.

McCallie was one of five Oklahoma clergy members who went to the Capitol. Three of them are with the Church of the Open Arms, which is a congregation of the United Church of Christ; two others are with Tulsa churches.

They talked to staff members for Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, and Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, and Reps. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, and John Sullivan, R-Tulsa.

On their agenda were two proposals — one for a federal "hate crimes” law that would allow federal authorities to investigate violent crimes in which the victim was chosen because of race, gender, sex, nationality or sexual orientation; and another to protect people from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Lawmakers skeptical

None of the lawmakers or their spokesmen expressed support for the hate crimes bill; they offered no response in regard to the employment discrimination measure.

Sullivan said, "I appreciate the input of the clergy members from Tulsa who visited my office Tuesday to lobby on behalf of hate crimes legislation, which they deeply believe in.

"However, I am unable to support hate crimes legislation, as I believe that a crime is a crime, whether it be driven by hate or just a senseless act of violence.”

Aaron Cooper, Coburn's press secretary, said, "Hate crimes are deplorable, and those found guilty of such crimes should be punished to the fullest extent of the law; however, it's unjust to create a special class of citizens who receive extraordinary legal protection.”

He said Coburn doesn't think the bill would deter hate crimes and criminal law is best handled at the state and local level.

A spokesman for Fallin, whose district includes the Church of the Open Arms, said the congresswoman's office has heard from several groups and individuals who have "serious concerns” about the hate crime bill.

Among the groups with serious concerns is the Southern Baptist Convention. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, a branch of the convention, called the bill "thought crimes legislation” last week, saying it "poses a threat to equal justice and freedom of thought, speech, association and religion.”

Crimes to instill fear

McCallie and the Rev. Carolyn J. Mobley of Metropolitan Community Churches in Tulsa said their congregations are made up of many gays and lesbians who did not feel comfortable at other churches.

"We are all people of God, made in the image of God,” McCallie said. "None of us is perfect in any way. We are all in need of God's grace and mercy.”

The Rev. James Stovall, with the Church of the Open Arms, said hate crimes aren't like other violent crimes because they're "intended to instill fear in a particular group.”

House Resolution 1592, according to its author, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., would not require federal investigations of crimes thought to be motivated by bias but would, rather, defer to state and local law enforcement agencies and provide grants to help with local cases.