Comments on: Hate crimes bill moves closer

By: Mihangel apYrs

Mihangel apYrs — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:21:35 +0000

@Scott
it's because a "hate crime" makes everyone in the that group feel targetted. If there were a sting of queer bashings in your area, wouldn't you feel less safe walking home from the pub/club/wherever? YOU could be next just because you're gay: no reason, no warning, no way to anticipate and prepare. You may decide not to go out at night, or not to walk home, etc. That's what makes it a hate crime: it is something that has a wider impact than just on the principals.

PS Ftr appears to have been removed – a pointless post if ever there was one!

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By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:15:34 +0000

So…the Constituion calls for "equal protection under the law". This bill is not that; a crime is a crime is a crime and no one deserves any extra special protection. Why should a murdered straight white male be any less a crime?

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By: Mihangel apYrs

Mihangel apYrs — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:02:41 +0000

"F–k the revolution" sounds like and old friend with a new name.

FFtr, please take your medication. And leave the grownups to talk sensibly

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By: ric

ric — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:25:47 +0000

Well said Commander Thor, could not have put it better myself. This has to get passed. Whether people think being homosexual is right or wrong, HATRED is wrong. Not liking someone is one thing but in the case of MAtthew Shepard they took the hatred to extreme levels and this should be part of federal law. It will at least go some small way to honoring him.

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By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:31:20 +0000

I have to say that it is nice to be able to put a face to the name of Matthew Shepard as it makes this young lads murder more real. Any society who does not think that homosexuals, or any minority group, should not be protected in law should hang its head in shame – even more so when it claims to be the leader of the free world.

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By: Commander Thor

Commander Thor — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:07:26 +0000

An ex-gay is like a person who decides to live underwater. He vaillantly holds his head submerged, tries to forget about how good it was up there on land, and succeeds marvellously well until he suddenly relapses, jerks his head up, breathes a big gulp of air, then goes back to being an underwater person. – Me.

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By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:25:27 +0000

Since when is any crime not a hate crime? You mean to tell me murdering a certain type of person is more offensive and hateful than murdering anyone else? That's insane! What about equal protection under the law? What about double jeopardy? Don't you realize it's just these politicians trying to grow their base of voters in certain groups? Does Boxer really think this will get her the "gay vote?" Don't buy into it. She's one of the worst senators in Washington. She is more concerned about being address as senator than the issues at hand. Please vote out this hag in 2010, PLEASE!

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By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:16:41 +0000

From what I've read it's not unusual to attach two entirely different bills. I think the logic is if you attach an unpopular piece of legislation to something that is popular then the unpopular piece of legislation will get passed. Although, it's sounding to me like in this case neither will pass.
If the Republicans decide to filibuster I'm not sure that the Democrats would have enough votes to pass it even though they have a "filibuster-proof" majority but there are some more conservative Democrats which quite often vote with the Republicans.
And if it did get through Obama has said he won't sign it. In this case, they might have been better to try and get the Matthew Shepard Act through on its own.

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By: flapjack

flapjack — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:26:46 +0000

Greg Quinlan, who claims he used to be gay, said in a statement that he believes the bill is being passed "on a phony premise".

"[Greg Quinlan] said: "Matthew Shepard was not murdered because of his homosexual orientation, he was murdered because of a drug deal gone bad – and we need to stop the hyperbole. We need to stop lying to the American people and start telling the truth.""
What has Greg Quinlan got to be upset about then?
If homophobic hatecrime doesn't happen then no-one should be convicted for it, same as any other law. What a total plonker…
And how come the Matthew Sheppard bill is attached to a defence spending bill? Does that mean that the two items are voted for in one ballot? Sounds a bit weird to me… it's like voting for chalk and cheese. I can't think of any common agenda between the two.

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