Polis is one of the richest members of Congress,<ref> [http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/ss/Wealthiest-Members-of-Congress_7.htm The 10 Wealthiest Members of Congress]</ref> Polis is "the first openly gay man elected to the House as a nonincumbent,"<ref name="stifle">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/22/anti-lgbt-discrimination-stifle-free-speech-critics-say/ Gay Discrimination Bill Will Stifle Free Speech, Advance 'Homosexual Agenda,' Critics Say]</ref> and a [[activism|radical activist]]. He is the sponsor of the [[Homosexual Classrooms Act]].
Polis used the slogan "Hatred has no place in the classroom" to promote the bill, probably making a reference to [[hate speech]] rules. But critics, such as Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the [[Cato Institute]], have charged that [[hate crimes]] laws do less to stop "hate speech" against individuals than to censor '''any criticism''' of protected groups or their activities. A minister preaching against [[homosexuality]] from the pulpit can be arrested, on the grounds that his blanket criticism of sin is "hurtful" to those who choose to engage in the sin preached against.<refnameref name="stifle"/>
==References==