Senate gives nod to gay-inclusive hate crimes bill
The U.S. Senate voted 63-28 to attach gay-inclusive federal hate crimes legislation to the 2010 defense authorization bill. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D.-Mass., who first proposed amending U.S. hate crimes law to cover sexual orientation, issued a statement saying that the proposal would “[close] the flagrant loopholes that for too long have prevented effective prosecution of these shocking crimes that terrorize entire groups of communities across America.” Google/The Associated Press
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/07/senate-gives-…
Christian conservatives fight expansion of hate-crimes law
With a Democrat-controlled Congress and a president who has indicated his support for the Matthew Shepard Act, time may be running out for its opponents. To stop the legislation, a few Christian leaders have suggested repealing all hate-crimes law, which would undo historic protections for race and even religion.
“The entire notion of hate-crimes legislation is extraneous and obsolete,” said Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with the conservative nonprofit Liberty Counsel, adding that he believes hate-crimes laws are unconstitutional.
In addition, a number of Christian conservatives have raised fears that pastors would be prosecuted for inciting hate crimes if they had preached against homosexuality, despite assurances that the law only targets physical violence.
See Christian conservatives fight expansion of hate-crimes law
USA Today
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/christian-con…
2 little 2 late? Rep. Foxx Sends Apology Letter To Matthew Shephard’s Mother
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx has written a letter of apology to the mother of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming man whose name is on a bill adding sexual orientation to federal hate-crimes legislation.
During recent debate on the bill, Foxx, R-5th, called attempts to label Shepard’s 1998 murder a hate crime “a hoax.” She said that he was killed during a robbery and not because he was gay.
Shepard, 21, was robbed, beaten and left to die on a prairie fence near Laramie, Wyo., in 1998. Two men pleaded guilty to killing him and testified that they singled him out because he was gay.
Foxx’s remarks caused an uproar, and she later issued a statement saying that her use of “hoax” was “a poor choice of words.”
See Virginia Foxx Sends Apology Letter To Matthew Shephard’s Mother
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/2-little-2-la…
House passes hate crimes bill
The US House passed (249-175) legislation to add LGBT people to federal hate crimes laws.
Tags: Federal Crimes, Hate Crimes, Legislation, PeopleFederal action on LGBT hate crimes is past due
The Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo., citing the successful use of Colorado’s hate-crime law in prosecuting the killer of transgender teenager Angie Zapata, is calling for federal lawmakers to do right by the late Matthew Shepard and other hate victims by passing a federal version. “Colorado got it right, first,” editorial board member Erika Stutzman writes. “President Barack Obama has said he will sign the bill if it passes in the Senate. More than 10 years after Shepard’s murder, it’s about time.” Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/federal-actio…
