Gay-rights bill falls 1 vote short of becoming state law

[uppityperson]

Legislation banning discrimination against gays and lesbians reached the floor of the Washington Senate yesterday for the first time in history, but fell one vote short of becoming law.

House Bill 1515, which has been around in some form for at least a quarter-century, lost 25-24 in a largely partisan split. Two conservative Democratic senators, Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch, Mason County, joined all 23 Republicans to defeat the bill.

State law now bans discrimination by race, sex, religion, national origin, marital status and other categories. The bill, which had passed the House, would have added sexual orientation to that list.

More at decent length article. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002249302_gayvote22m.html

[Joebert]

1. Ugh.

These 1 vote losses are hard.

In Colorado, my local rep (a Republican of course) voted against renewable energy requirements a couple years ago.

Somebody needs to punch Hargrove. Saying that homosexuality is wrong is akin to saying that being black, female or left-handed is wrong.

Hopefully his voters saw what kind of nut he is, and will fix his wagon next time he's up for election.

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. Hargrove & Sheldon are the local version of the DLC

Always running as "Democrats" but voting with Republicans about 80% of the time.

[Joebert]

3. Did money talk in their campaigns?

How did they beat out the other Democratic candidates in these areas? Or were those traditionally Republican areas to begin with?

I'm stuck being represented in the state congress by an unopposed Rep. He is the one who equated homosecxuality to beastiality.

You can imagine what an inclusive environment my city is.

[Maraya1969]

4. Just shot off an email to Hargrove asking him WHY

[uppityperson]

5. Microsoft interference, link and clip.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002249...
Even as the bill banning discrimination against gays and lesbians failed by a single vote in the state Senate yesterday, a sideshow was springing up around Microsoft's withdrawal of support for the measure.

Word spread quickly around the Capitol about a story in the local alternative newsweekly The Stranger, which said the software giant was withdrawing its support for House Bill 1515 because of pressure from Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Redmond's 3,500-member Antioch Bible Church.

<clip>
Hutcherson, though, said yesterday he met with Microsoft officials earlier this year, telling them he would organize a national boycott of the company's products if it did not withdraw its support of the bill.

Hutcherson also said he told the company's officials that two Microsoft employees who had testified in support of the bill should be fired because they misrepresented themselves as representatives of the company. Begasse said the two employees were testifying as individuals, not company representatives.

more...

[Joebert]

6. That is so depressing.

I read about that. Once again, we have another tax-exempt religious organization telling somebody how to vote.

The pattern continues.

[sonicx]

7. Thanks DINOs

Hopefully, the 2 can be replaced.