Comments on: Obama set to sign Matthew Shepard hate crimes bill tomorrow

By: Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell

Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:54:54 +0000

All the talk of marriage, military and hate crimes reminds me that we are forgetting that gays are in 2009 STILL legally discriminated against in housing, employment, credit, goods and services and in insurance or other contracts in most states – What about ENDA????

Gays and lesbians are homeless in many places, harassed and picked on or bullied at school continually, etc. Bugger marriage and the military for a minute. We need to re-start with “priorities first”!!!!!

My 3 point plan over 5-10 years for civil rights for gays in Congress:

* No 1: Congress should pass ENDA
* No 2: Congress should pass an act to prevent bullying of gay students in both schools and college campuses.
* No 3: Congress then should repeal both DADT and DOMA

That should be next to become law since it is totally LEGAL (thats right it is legal) to fire or sack someone in most states of the United States if they are gay or lesbian – this is the next important civil rights law ever to hit Congress!!!!!

The full repeal of DADT and DOMA can wait a little longer.

By: Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell

Aussie Gay Activist Paul Mitchell — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:10:43 +0000

He signed it!!!! – Don’t worry now we are now offically protected FINALLY!!!

I signed a petition on it recently (care2.org).

By: AndySam

AndySam — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:05:25 +0000

So who were the 29 assholes who think hate crime is a good American pastime??? Name them and shame them!

By: xaria

xaria — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:27:55 +0000

good. he’ll have finally done something. far from enough but something of substance.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Is it very close? I haven’t been able to find out much about it if I’m honest. I agree that it is ridiculous to have a minority’s rights up for a public vote, but I feel that this will be looked back on in the future as a mistake.
Even though I am but a poor student, I have already donated to Equality Maine. I only heard about Prop 8 after it had already been voted on and was very upset that I did not get the chance to donate and help. I did not make the same mistake this time round!
Go Maine!

By: Thomas, Tallahassee, Florida

Thomas, Tallahassee, Florida — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:20:13 +0000

@ Sammy

I agree Maine is a very important vote. Right now it is very close but if any place can pull it off in US it’s new englanders (how ridiculous that the rights of a minority are up for a vote of the majority…). If you can, please
donate to Equality Maine to fight this effort to remove gay civil rights in the great State of Maine!

By: riondo

riondo — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:25:55 +0000

Well done, Mr President – now please carry out two constitutionally quite orthodox measures – abolish Don’t Ask Don’t Tell by executive decree, as is your legal prerrogative as Commander in Chief; and pressurise Congress to repeal the Defence of Marriage Act, since it is clearly an assault on States’ rights. Refuse to sign any new bill which seeks to reinstate its provisions.

By: Sammy

Sammy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:15:49 +0000

@Thomas:

Whilst the things you mentioned are a good sign, I am worried about how the Maine vote will go in the next couple of weeks…

By: Thomas, Tallahassee, Florida

Thomas, Tallahassee, Florida — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:22:48 +0000

Good news. Baby steps is the most one can expect in the US at the federal level. President Obama has sent strong signals to the gay community that we are not a priority. Other good news: Washington, DC will soon likely have gay marriage (and it cannot be ‘voted’ on by populace); New York and New Jersey a strong potential as well sometime this fall…

By: Simon Murphy

Simon Murphy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:24:16 +0000

While I do think this bill is a nice gesture it is nowhere near as important as the removal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the Defence of Marriage Act.

This new Matthew Shephard Bill may be a nice gesture but seeing as violence and murder against gay people are already illegal then I hardly think this bill is as eseential as the removal of the other 2 laws.

Obama STILL refuses to give a timetable as to when he will honour his pre-election commitment to remove DADT and DOMA.

I guess he needs to realise that gay people won’t necessarily vote Democrat in the future if voting Democrat makes no difference to voting Republican

By: Jean-Paul Bentham

Jean-Paul Bentham — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:50:22 +0000

I’ve got my fingers crossed!