Hate Crimes Bill Dropped

[kweerwolf]

Legislation that would have included crimes against gays and lesbians in federal hate crime laws has been dropped in the Senate.

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass) has been trying to get the measure passed since 1999. This session he tacked it onto a national sex offender bill.

The sex offender registry bill has been tied up in the Senate for months as Kennedy fought to have the hate crime provision passed.

Late last week he pulled the amendment allowing the sex offender bill to pass unanimously after Republicans threatened to block passage of the sex offender legislation pin the blame on "liberal Democrats" and gay activists.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/05/050706hatebill.htm

What? They couldn't find a way to blame it on abortion providers, illegal immigrants and the ACLU, too? KKKarl Rove must really be slipping!

[sakabatou]

1. Because them gay folk must have the right to killed...

:sarcasm: :puke:

[Maddy McCall]

2. Hi, y'all. Let's just hope and pray that better times are coming.

I am so sorry that the PTBs don't see your lives as valuable as those of other Americans. When we get a Democratic Congress, I'll fight along side you to see that you are given the basic protections that you deserve.

:loveya:

[homaffectional]

8. When they do...

when better times are coming, I hope that Senator Kennedy will hold out for hate crimes legislation that is trans-inclusive. When you look at how many states cover GLBs and how few cover TGs in their anti-hate crime statutes, it is a moral failing to not hold out for the 'T' to be included in the wider GLBT movement's battle against violent hate.

ENDA, on the other hand is a different story.

I think Democrats should vote down any hate crimes amendment that does not include transgender people, while doing everything to push any version of ENDA (The Employment Non-Discrimination Act), with or without a provision that would protect transgender people, and after doing the math, I think most logical-minded people would agree...

[Kutjara]

3. Unconscionable.

Congress has once again proven itself a poor custodian of our nation.

This is simply disgusting. I'm beyond words.

[xchrom]

4. of course they did --

other wise jerry falwell would have spanked them.

[marmar]

5. And then, naturally, they would equate gay activists with sex offenders...

It's something they've done for time immemorial, from Anita Bryant to James Dobson. Since Mike Malloy isn't on today, "Have I said how much I hate these people?" Hell is going to be full of right-wingers. :evilfrown:

[dsc]

6. The very first gay or lesbian killed

should be hung around their necks. Our opponents demagogue all the time we should take our turn at it.

[terrya]

7. The Republican's sleaziness knows no bounds.

So, hate crimes legislation that has been around since 1999 (and is needed, IMO, since gay and lesbian folks have been the victims of hate crimes for some time now) is being derailed because we would be blamed for NOT passing sex offender legislation? That's pure evil.

The Republican Party says NO to ENDA, NO to same-sex marriage and adoptions, NO to dropping "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and allowing us to serve openly in the military...and NO to hate crimes legislation. Basically, the Republican Party says "we really don't care if you gay and lesbian people are killed or injured because of who you are". That's low. That's meanness on a whole new level.

But they do have their priorities...the anti-gay "Marriage Protection Amendment" is coming up for a vote next month. :puke:

[W_HAMILTON]

9. They're pathetic...

We're "special" enough for them to single us out when it comes to marriage bans, and policies like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," yet they don't think we're "special" enough to warrant special protection for people that would single us out and try to harm us physically.

It can't be both ways. If we don't warrant protection under hate crimes legislation because we're just like everyone else, then stop trying to pass (&*$!)(*)!$(* laws that keeps us from having the same rights as everyone else. God, these dickheads can't be voted out quick enough.