Senate passes bill expanding hate crimes to cover sexual orientation

**Valigarmander** · 10-22-2009, 05:35 PM

Hate crimes bill goes to Obama for signature - CNN.com

Quote:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate passed groundbreaking legislation Thursday that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.

The expanded federal hate crimes law now goes to President Obama's desk. Obama has pledged to sign the measure, which was added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill.

President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure.

The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998, and James Byrd Jr., an African-American man dragged to death in Texas the same year.

Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate-crimes law could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality.

Attorney General Eric Holder has asserted that any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias, as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs.

Holder called Thursday's 68-29 Senate vote to approve the defense spending bill that included the hate crimes measure "a milestone in helping protect Americans from the most heinous bias-motivated violence."

"The passage of this legislation will give the Justice Department and our state and local law enforcement partners the tools we need to deter and prosecute these acts of violence," he said in a statement.

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, called the measure "our nation's first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people."

"Too many in our community have been devastated by hate violence," Solmonese said in a statement. "We now can begin the important steps to erasing hate in our country."

This month, Obama told the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay rights group, that the nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians.

"Despite the progress we've made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open," he said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign. "This fight continues now, and I'm here with the simple message: I'm here with you in that fight."

Among other things, Obama has called for the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He also has urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act.

The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage, for federal purposes, as a legal union between a man and a woman. It allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages. The Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act would extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian federal workers.

More than 77,000 hate-crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007, or "nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade," Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June.

The FBI, Holder added, reported 7,624 hate-crime incidents in 2007, the most current year with complete data.

Hate is hate. This is a step forward, at least.

CuccoLady · 10-22-2009, 05:56 PM

I'm most excited about the actions mentioned at the end of the article about marriage. If, and this is a big if, those changes come about, that will be a huge step forward in my opinion.

That said, the main focus of the article is definitely still a good thing. I'm just more excited about the possible happenings mentioned briefly later on.

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 10-22-2009, 06:15 PM

wut if hes confuzed bout his sexuality duz it confuze teh circumcisions of the crime? durrhurrr

On a comparatively intelligent note, I think $680 billion could be spent better in a time of recession.

PK FIRE! · 10-22-2009, 06:31 PM

Am I allowed to be annoyed that and otherwise good bill was attached to what I'm guessing was a military budget bill?

- You stupid dog.

Metal Man · 10-22-2009, 08:18 PM

Seems like all the cool kids are doing it, like the guns in parks thing being attached to a CLIMATE bill.

Robotazy · 10-22-2009, 08:20 PM

Want your law? PUT MORE MONEY IN DEFENSE!

It would be hilarious if a Defense bill had a bill that limited Defense Bills attached.

**Crazyswordsman** · 10-22-2009, 08:58 PM

Yet Republicans are more than happy to runaway spending on defense.

Back to the topic, this protection is long overdue. FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO THINK THIS WILL RESTRICT YOUR RIGHT TO HATE GAYS: IT WON'T. IT JUST PROTECTS GAYS FROM VIOLENCE. -CSM

heh · 10-22-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

wut if hes confuzed bout his sexuality duz it confuze teh circumcisions of the crime? durrhurrr

On a comparatively intelligent note, I think $680 billion could be spent better in a time of recession.

the 680 billion is going to the defense budget not this law. also a recession isn't an excuse to degrade back into a extreme bigotry

e: also **** the defense budget

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 10-23-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Time Works The Same Way

the 680 billion is going to the defense budget not this law. also a recession isn't an excuse to degrade back into a extreme bigotry

e: also **** the defense budget

Oh. Then I am happy.

**Deku Trii** · 10-23-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

IT JUST PROTECTS GAYS FROM VIOLENCE. -CSM

You know, we already had some laws that protect gays from violence.

**Crazyswordsman** · 10-23-2009, 07:01 PM

^Not in all states. -CSM

**Deku Trii** · 10-23-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyswordsman

^Not in all states. -CSM

You could get away with assault if it was a gay in some states?

Lurch1982 · 10-25-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deku Trii

You could get away with assault if it was a gay in some states?

Hate-crime laws are designed to force ****kicking local cops to actually do something about targeted groups instead of ignoring it or backburning it. In some states you basically could get away with it because the local law enforcement would ignore it. Sort of like how the local law enforcement in the South would look the other way if a black guy was lynched prior to the civil rights movement. It also takes it out of local court systems and puts it in Federal Court, where they don't **** around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by I REALLY HATE POKEMON!

wut if hes confuzed bout his sexuality duz it confuze teh circumcisions of the crime? durrhurrr

On a comparatively intelligent note, I think $680 billion could be spent better in a time of recession.

You should not be allowed to post unless you read the ****ing article.

CodenameV · 10-25-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lurch1982

Hate-crime laws are designed to force ****kicking local cops to actually do something about targeted groups instead of ignoring it or backburning it. In some states you basically could get away with it because the local law enforcement would ignore it. Sort of like how the local law enforcement in the South would look the other way if a black guy was lynched prior to the civil rights movement. It also takes it out of local court systems and puts it in Federal Court, where they don't **** around.

You should not be allowed to post unless you read the ****ing article.

Ouch, tone down the anger. Those angry asteriks don't help get your point acroos. But yeah, this is definitely a step in the right direction. A baby step, but a step nonetheless.

**Valigarmander** · 10-25-2009, 10:36 PM

^ You're new here. That's Lurch.

CodenameV · 10-25-2009, 11:14 PM

Aaaahhhhhh... I'm assuming the local flamer?

Metal Man · 10-25-2009, 11:15 PM

No, not really. Lurch is the proverbial sniper rifle of VGF. It's to be expected... and it's not so much anger as him putting across the point that... not reading the article really is *asterisks* dumb.

On the other hand, you will see me set things on fire a bit more often. Then again, for different reasons.

CodenameV · 10-25-2009, 11:23 PM

Ahhh, Gotcha... Well, then I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that sniper rifle. Or those asteriks.-shudder-

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 10-26-2009, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lurch1982

You should not be allowed to post unless you completely understand the ****ing article.

Fixed.

ZeldaGirl · 10-26-2009, 01:38 AM

Technically, you could say his point still stands...

10-22-2009, 06:15 PM	#3
I REALLY HATE POKEMON! Goku lives on the Sun Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: California, U.S.A Gender: Posts: 12,717 Thanks: 1,334 Thanked 275 Times in 234 Posts Blog Entries: 1	this law is gay wut if hes confuzed bout his sexuality duz it confuze teh circumcisions of the crime? durrhurrr On a comparatively intelligent note, I think $680 billion could be spent better in a time of recession.

10-22-2009, 05:56 PM	#2
CuccoLady Anime and Cartoons Mod Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: THIS LOCATION REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE, LUKE Gender: Posts: 9,077 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 1,222 Times in 822 Posts	I'm most excited about the actions mentioned at the end of the article about marriage. If, and this is a big if, those changes come about, that will be a huge step forward in my opinion. That said, the main focus of the article is definitely still a good thing. I'm just more excited about the possible happenings mentioned briefly later on.

10-22-2009, 06:31 PM	#4
PK FIRE! Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: On the run. Gender: Posts: 9,544 Thanks: 175 Thanked 150 Times in 120 Posts	Am I allowed to be annoyed that and otherwise good bill was attached to what I'm guessing was a military budget bill? - You stupid dog.

10-22-2009, 08:18 PM	#5
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	Seems like all the cool kids are doing it, like the guns in parks thing being attached to a CLIMATE bill.

10-22-2009, 08:20 PM	#6
Robotazy PRESS ANY KEY TO PANIC! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: A Tiny Shed Gender: Posts: 16,483 Thanks: 529 Thanked 1,254 Times in 897 Posts Blog Entries: 46	Want your law? PUT MORE MONEY IN DEFENSE! It would be hilarious if a Defense bill had a bill that limited Defense Bills attached.

10-22-2009, 08:58 PM	#7
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	Yet Republicans are more than happy to runaway spending on defense. Back to the topic, this protection is long overdue. FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO THINK THIS WILL RESTRICT YOUR RIGHT TO HATE GAYS: IT WON'T. IT JUST PROTECTS GAYS FROM VIOLENCE. -CSM

10-23-2009, 07:01 PM	#11
Crazyswordsman This key doesn't work. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Booyaville (yeah!) Gender: Posts: 10,791 Thanks: 1,019 Thanked 686 Times in 467 Posts	^Not in all states. -CSM

10-25-2009, 10:36 PM	#15
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	^ You're new here. That's Lurch.

10-25-2009, 11:14 PM	#16
CodenameV Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mudkipland, CA Gender: Posts: 215 Thanks: 43 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Aaaahhhhhh... I'm assuming the local flamer?

10-25-2009, 11:15 PM	#17
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	No, not really. Lurch is the proverbial sniper rifle of VGF. It's to be expected... and it's not so much anger as him putting across the point that... not reading the article really is asterisks dumb. On the other hand, you will see me set things on fire a bit more often. Then again, for different reasons.

10-25-2009, 11:23 PM	#18
CodenameV Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mudkipland, CA Gender: Posts: 215 Thanks: 43 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Ahhh, Gotcha... Well, then I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that sniper rifle. Or those asteriks.-shudder-

10-26-2009, 01:38 AM	#20
ZeldaGirl Awesome member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Why do YOU want to know...? Gender: Posts: 15,896 Thanks: 1,130 Thanked 1,919 Times in 1,046 Posts	Technically, you could say his point still stands...