Gay Rights Bills Stand Chance By AVIVA L. BRANDT Associated Press Writer CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) O A gay rights activist said he hopes lawmakers will withstand pressure from a religious group to kill a bill aimed at protecting gays and lesbians. Chuck Anziulewicz, spokesman for the West Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, said Tuesday he hoped to see the legislation make it out of committees. A bill has been introduced that would protect homosexuals under the state's hate crimes law while another bill would protect homosexuals under the Human Rights Act. ``Nothing would make me happier than to see debate on the floor of the House of Delegates on this,'' Anziulewicz said. ``Then we could see how deep the prejudice runs among our elected officials or how much of they believe in justice for all people.'' House Judiciary Chairman Jim Rowe said his committee will take up the bill on hate crimes this week. The law already prohibits violence against people because of race, religion or political affiliation, said Rowe, D-Greenbrier. The bill would add sexual orientation to the list. Rowe said the committee was likely to endorse the bill and send it to the House despite opposition from groups such as the American Family Association. Sam Cravotta, head of the association's West Virginia chapter, said his group would continue to oppose the issue even if passed by the Legislature. ``As Christians, while we may dislike the sin, we are taught to love the sinner. We do not condone hate crimes against homosexuals,'' Cravotta said. ``Since violence is already a crime, (the hate crime legislation) is redundant. ``Adding sexual orientation to the Human Rights Act is much broader in scope and consequences,'' Cravotta said. ``Sexual orientation could be construed to offer protection to all kinds of bizarre sexual behavior which should not be sanctioned, protected or encouraged by any government.'' Anziulewicz said he was aware of the lobbying efforts against the bills. ``A small group of fundamentalist Christians is using a narrow set of religious views to justify discrimination,'' he said. ``I'm hoping that mainstream religious groups will come to our defense in this area.'' Rowe said he receives up to 12 letters and telephone calls daily in opposition to the two bills. ``It's obvious there's an element that's hard at work trying to stir up misunderstanding,'' Rowe said. ``It's also apparent from the words used on the phone messages and the letters that they don't understand either bill.'' Delegate Bonnie Brown, D-Kanawha, one of the House sponsors of the Human Rights Act bill, said she was optimistic the bills would pass despite the opposition. ``Welcome to the 20th century. I hope we're enlightened enough not to listen to religion as a tool of hate,'' Brown said. Sen. David Grubb, D-Kanawha, is the lone sponsor of similar legislation in the Senate. He said passage of the bills would be tough. The Senate was waiting to see how the bills fared in the House before taking them up, he said. ``Just the fight we had to get sponsors was an indication,'' Grubb said. ``A lot of people said they support it, `I just don't want my name on it.''' The bills had seven sponsors in the House. ``Eventually, I think we'll pass legislation providing basic human rights for all people,'' Grubb said. ``It's hard to predict whether it will pass this year.''