Another lie from the far right: “All Violent Crimes Are ‘Hate Crimes”
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins is claiming “All Violent Crimes Are ‘Hate Crimes” after approval by the House Judiciary Committee of a proposed federal “hate crimes” bill, H.R. 1913.
We offer these two photos to rebut his fatuous claim.
In the upper photo see Sydney gay man Chen (Anthony) Liuas he looked before being set upon by gay bashers who killed him and left his body to decompose.
The lower photo shows what gay bashers do: it is an x-ray showing how they used a nail gun to kill this man. The decomposed body of 27 year old Mr Liu was discovered floating in the Georges River last November, the body been bound with electrical wire and wrapped in a rug. He had been shot in the head 30 times with a high powered nail gun. The nails embedded in his skull were up to 85mm long.
See how many nails they shot into his skull?
This is typical of a hate crime: a level of violence that far exceeds that of a robery or mugging.
Does Perkins get that? No: he claims “All violent crimes are hate crimes, and every victim is equally important. All of our citizens deserve equal justice under the law. Do we somehow care less about victims violently assaulted because of robberies or personal disputes than we do about those assaulted because they belong in a federally designated category?”
Any criminal act is hateful, but only some – those against people because of their color or orientation – are hate crimes. We can be sure that Perkins would be singing a different tune if those who followed his brand of “Christianity” were subject to the same level of hate crimes that LGBT people face every day.
It is un-American for Perkins and his ilk to use LGBT as cannon fodder in their effort to generate fund raising dollars and build political power.
But to mislead people about the need for hate crimes legislation to generate fund raising dollars and build political power is more of a ‘sin’ than anything two gay men can do to each other.
Shame on those seld-appointed “Christians” who pervert Christ’s teachings into a cover for the kind of homophobic violence that killed Mr. Liuas.
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Gay Marriage Bill On The Move In NY Assembly
The Assembly’s Judiciary Committee will take up Gov. David Paterson’s same-sex marriage program bill on Tuesday – the same day the Empire State Pride Agenda is holding its Equality & Justice Lobby Day in Albany.
There was so much interest this year that ESPA, which created a Web video to promote the event, had to close registration. Several thousand people are expected to attend See Gay Marriage Bill On The Move In Assembly
New York Daily News * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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New Hampshire senate committee rejects gay marriage
(Concord, N.H.) The state Senate’s Judiciary Committee has recommended that the Legislature reject legalizing gay marriage in New Hampshire.
The committee voted 3-2 Thursday against a bill that passed the House last month. Committee Chairwoman Deborah Reynolds, a Democrat, said she doesn’t think New Hampshire is ready for gay marriage. Republicans …
Thousands flock to gay marriage hearing in Maine
AUGUSTA, Maine — Same-sex couples from around the state urged Maine lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow them to marry, while opponents asked that it be rejected. A hearing is being held today before the Judiciary Committee at the Augusta Civic Center.
Supporters outnumbered opponents roughly four to one as the legislative hearing got under way about 9:30 a.m. About 3,000 people filled the auditorium.
Click here to listen to the live testimony.
Kate and Erica Quinn-Easter of Stockholm said they have done everything they can do under the law to protect each other. They even were married in Massachusetts five years ago but that union is not recognized in Maine.
“During the past 10 years with lots of pieces of paper we’ve proven our commitment to each other over and over again,” Erica Quin-Easter said. “It’s time the state of Maine recognized our marriage.”
In addition to LD 1020, committee members also were scheduled to heard testimony on LD 1118 that would extend to people registered on the state’s domestic partner registry the same rights and benefits as those who are married but would stop short of creating civil unions. Rep. Leslie Fossel, R-Alna, the sponsor of the bill did not attend the hearing and no one spoke in favor of or against it during the morning session.
See Thousands flock to gay marriage hearing Bangor Daily News
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Gay marriage debate focus now on Maine
The gay marriage debate shifts to Maine as sides for and against line up for a legislative hearing. The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee takes up the proposal Wednesday in a daylong hearing at the Augusta Civic Center. See Gay marriage debate focus now on Maine SunJournal.com
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/04/gay-marriage-…
Vermont gay marriage bill advances to Senate vote
(Montpelier, Vermont) The Vermont Senate will vote next week on legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, following acceptance of the bill in committee on Friday.
Hundreds of people filled the Statehouse as the Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 to advance the measure.
The measure would replace Vermont’s first-in-the-nation civil unions law with one that allows …
Hawaii Senators Hesitate On Rescue Of Gay Civil Unions
Hawaii senators who had vowed to rescue a stranded gay civil unions bill from a deadlocked committee and pass it this legislative session have begun to backpeddle.
House Bill 444, which would grant gay and lesbian couples all the rights of marriage, was marooned on February 25 when it deadlocked on a 3-3 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The final tally came after a grueling 18 hour marathon hearing session that ended at 3AM.
Even before the votes were in Senate leaders had begun discussing the possibility of rescuing the bill out of committee for a full vote on the Senate floor. The bill sailed through the House on a 33 to 17 vote. See Hawaii Senators Hesitate On Rescue Of Gay Civil Unions
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/hawaii-senato…
VT Hearings to start March 16 on gay marriage
BENNINGTON — Legislative leaders said Thursday that they will move quickly to pass gay marriage legislation, beginning hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 16 — the day the Legislature reconvenes following the Town Meeting break.
The announcement came at a Statehouse press conference hosted by Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, and House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, as they outlined an aggressive agenda for the remainder of the legislative session.
Shumlin, who served as Senate president in 2000, when Vermont became the first state to pass civil union legislation, said Thursday he was proud of the state at the time for taking such a momentous step. But his “pride has given way to uneasiness,” he said, as other states have since bypassed Vermont and have allowed gay marriage.
“Vermont is no longer alone, and we’re no longer leading. Here in Vermont, people’s fears in connection with the civil union law have proven unfounded,” he said. “Nobody was harmed, some families enjoy a little more security, and our state is a better place for having taken that step.”
See Hearings to start March 16 on gay marriage
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Anti-Gay Senator Out; LGBT Festival Celebrates
Chris Buttars, the Utah Republican state senator famous for racist and anti-gay outbursts, was removed from his post as head of the Judiciary Committee for breaking a deal with his anti-gay Republican colleagues to cool the rhetoric.
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Buttars’ latest outburst was to a documentary filmmaker. He called same-sex relations “an abomination” and the LGBT movement “probably the greatest threat to America,” while comparing LGBT activists to Muslim “radicals.”
“Most of what Senator Buttars said, I agree with,” said Republican Senator Howard Stephenson, but his caucus felt Buttars had become too much of a “lightning rod” on LGBT issues.
A Salt Lake Tribune editorial called him a “Buttaraurus,” writing, “Buttars will never change. But Utah will.”
A “Buttars-Palooza” with live music and a DJ was organized by LGBT activists for the lawn of the state capitol on February 28 and attracted more than 1,000 people celebrating the GOP senator being taken down a peg. See
Anti-Gay Senator Out; LGBT Festival Celebrates Gay City News
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`Anti-Gay’ Adoption Bill Advances in KY
Don’t you just love it when “Christian lawmakers” like those in Kentucky move to ban “gay adoption” and “gay foster care” but never get around to opening their own homes up to the kids who need to be adopted? Their hypocrisy is stunning.
A bill seeking to prohibit gay and lesbian couples from adopting children has won approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The measure would also bar unmarried heterosexual couples from adoption or foster care.
See `Anti-Gay‘ Adoption Bill Advances WBKO
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