House to take up own version of anti-violence act

[DonViejo]

Source: AP


BY BY JIM ABRAMS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House and Senate appear headed for another partisan battle as the House prepare to take up its version of the once noncontroversial Violence Against Women Act.

The Republican-crafted House bill to renew the 1994 act, which expired in 2011, was introduced Friday to instant criticism from Senate Democrats, who said it fell short in fulfilling the law’s mission of protecting women from domestic violence.

House debate on the bill next week could rekindle the unsettled dispute of last year, when House Republicans resisted Senate efforts to expand the bill to better cover gays, immigrants and Native Americans.

The law has been a cornerstone of federal efforts to protect women from domestic abuse and prosecute abusers, and in the past has been renewed with little or no debate.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2013/02/22/house_to_take_up_own_version_of_anti_violence_act/

[liberal_economist]

1. my thoughts on this..

i really dont like this kind of stuff. I know that probably wont sit well with most of the people on this site so i'll explain why...

my principle is that violence is always wrong and immoral, and that people are always equal.

So why is it that if a man acts in violence towards a woman its a greater crime than if a man acts in the same violence towards a man? The violent act is the same, its the same crime and equally as immoral, so why the unequal punishment? Is it more moral to be violent towards a man than it is a women? Is it more moral to be violent towards a straight man than a gay man? Or more moral to be violent towards a white man than a black man? I say based on principle all violent acts are immoral and none are less immoral than others.

Acting with violence towards all people is bad, so why the unequal punishment and the unequal protection?

Full disclosure, i am a straight white male, but if i am attacked why should my attacker face less punishement than if i was a women? The violence is the same..


Just my thoughts on the subject...

[cyberswede]

3. That sure seems right wingy to me.

...and not just me, as it turns out.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/02/vawa-heritage-freedomworks-unfair-men.php?ref=fpb

[bluesbassman]

4. Well historically the groups you cite have not received equal protection.

Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to overcome injustice. How many women were the victims of domestic violence and saw the perpetrator walk, or receive less than equitable sentencing for their crime if, as you say, the violence was no less immoral than if it had committed on a straight, white male?

Yes, in a perfect society ALL crimes of violence would be met with the same investigation, judicial process, and punishment. Sadly we have not yet achieved that perfection yet.

[liberal_economist]

5. i mostly agree

These individuals have definately been treated unfairly by the judicial system, and thats where the problem is and thats where it needs to be fixed.

I just dont think that the government giving different amounts of protection to individuals based on sex, race, or sexual preference is the answer. Saying if your a person with these charactoristics we're going to prosecute you more or less severely than a person with these charactoristics.

Make it a crime for judicial bigotry or something, go after judges or prosecutors that lock up more black men than whites, more men then women, more women than men...whatever their bigotry happens to me .

But i think if we're all equal people then the law should treat us all equally and should protect us all equally.

Its definately one of those issues that really makes you think...

[another_liberal]

6. Shore nuff!

I remember the day (I literally do) when a man could beat the crap out of his wife, and even if the police finally did show up they would just tell him leave for an hour or so, "To go cool off some."

Like they used to say: "Slap her around a couple of times a day on general principles. She's bound to have done something to deserve it."

The fact is that women get additional protections BECAUSE WOMEN NEED ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS!

[liberal_economist]

7. Like i said above

That is much more of a problem with the judicial system or police departments not enforcing laws that should be enforced, and thats where the problem should be identified and resolved.

If people are not being treated equally and prosecuted equally under equal laws then the solution isnt and shouldnt be unequal laws and unequal punishments. The solution is addressing and correcting a biased and bigoted judicial system and police force.

Equal crime = equal punishment. Period.

[another_liberal]

8. You are correct. A woman's lack of equality before the law is the problem.

The Violence Against Women Act is the solution for the way courts and police departments traditionally ignored crimes against women. The federal government is the only body with enough authority to force local law enforcement to change it's long-held patterns of behavior in this regard.

[Tumbulu]

9. Thank you- well said! nt

[Enrique]

2. the Onion broke this story

http://www.theonion.com/video/republicans-reach-out-to-women-with-new-no-punch-p,31381/