By A Vote Of 249 – 175
Much along party lines, America’s Representatives voiced and voted their true feelings about the GLBTQ population today in Congress. The “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009”, H.R. 1913, better known as the Matthew Shepard Act, has a long history and pays homage to someone who became the face of hate crime, not only in this country but around the world.
Judy Shepard, mother of a 21 year-old, 100 pound Matthew, who just over ten years ago outside of Laramie, Wyoming, was brutally beaten to death, was in Congress, to hear Rep. Virgina Foxx (R – North Carolina) say that her son Matthew “was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn’t because he was gay. This bill that was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it’s really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.” She also claimed that “Forty-five states already have hate crimes laws – so this federal law not needed.”
Other egregious opinions voiced came from long-time homophobe Rep Steve King (R – Iowa), who is fighting the legalization of gay marriage in his own state. King took time from the debate to read from the dictionary the definition of “sexual orientation”. He again, as did Foxx, repeated their feeling that the bill should be called the “Thought Crimes Bill”.
Barney Frank had many moving words to say in favor of the bill, including this simple thought: “I am not seeking your approval for the way I live. Your approval is not terribly important to me. This is not a request for acceptance. We don’t want it, we don’t need it from those people.”
This legislation will enable the U.S. Justice Department to investigate and, if need be, prosecute bias-motivated violence against a person based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It does not allow the government to prosecute someone for their thoughts or religious beliefs, only for acts of violence. It still needs to be voted and passed by the Senate, later this year, where Senator Ted Kennedy introduced it yesterday. It is expected to be signed by President Obama.
Related posts:
- 68 -29: Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill Passes! On To Obama!
- Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill… Almost Home
- Hate Crime Bill Passes Committee
- Matthew Shepard Act Receives Support of Ted Kennedy
- “Kicking The Can Down The Road” On Hate Crimes, Too
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was brutally beaten to death
A funny thing about the "thought crimes" objection is that we already "legislate thought" by differentiating between crimes committed with and without intent. It would seem that if you are truly against any law against what's in a man's mind then you should also be in favor of removing intent as a consideration in all crimes.
Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten to death in Laramie, Wyoming-not Wisconsin. It is wonderful news about the passing of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Bill. I met Matthew two weeks before he was murdered- at a club in Ft. Collins, CO. If you were to have met him in person, you would know just how horrible this crime against him actually was. Matthew was a very small person-in stature that is. Almost petite, if you will. I actually mistook him for a female at first, until my friend introduced me to him and I realized he was male. More importantly, he was a very polite, warm, and what seemed to be-a caring person. He was also very shy. I was heartbroken, like so many of you, when I heard what had happened to him weeks later. My gratitude goes to Judy Shepard for turning such a horrific tragedy into something that honors Matthew in such a positive way. She is genuinely a fantastic person, who has fought tirelessly to get this Bill passed. Thank you so much Judy! I'm sure Matthew would be so proud of you…as are we. You're wonderful. THANK YOU!
Wow. Virginia Foxx sounds like a troglodyte! Oh, sorry, that's insulting to cavemen. Anti-gay prejudice is a branch of anti-women prejudice. Thank goodness that type of outdated thinking is dying out!
When I think of the tremendous sacrifice Matthew Shephard made, I am humbled that I am a large man, one who has rarely experienced physical harrassment from cowards of the kind that picked on Matt Shephard. I hope some day there will be a monument of martyrs who fought and died for Human Rights, Matthew Shepard belongs there next to Harvey Milk and other gay and lesbian heroes. Thank you for the article.
I am so very glad that the Matthew Shepard Act passed and I hope that we soon see full equality under the law. ^_^
In principle I would support a law that punishes people for committing violence against gays or against someone they perceive as being gay.
But would this bill say I can't publcally state that the Bible says that homosexuality is sinful behavior? Leviticus 18:22 says, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination."
Would that be considered hate speech under this bill?
Also, I have heard that in the fine print that pedophiles are considered having a particular sexual orientation and that they would included as a protected class in this bill.
If that is the case, then I could not support this bill.
Before anyone jumps all over me, remember I said I support gays being protected against violence but I should be able to publically state my religious beliefs and not just in church.
I am just trying to get the facts.
Add on to my last post: I think we all agree that pedophiles are a digusting bunch but even they should not be subjected to violence but they should not be given the added protection this bill would offer if indeed they are classified as having a particular sexual orientation.
Besides, it is already against the law to perpertrate violence against anyone anyway.
So my only objections to this bill are if people can't say homosexuality is a sin and if, as I said, if pedophiles are given the added protection this bill would offer.
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