Matthew Shepard Act (Hate Crimes Act) Passes Senate

[goodgd_yall]

by Z Byron Wolf

<snip>

Sixty Senators -- just enough to override a Republican filibuster -- voted to attach the Matthew Shepard Act, named for the gay Wyoming college student murdered in 1998, as an amendment to the 2008 Department of Defense authorization bill. The measure was sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Gordon Smith, R-Ore.

<snip>
The measure would give the federal government more leeway to investigate and prosecute hate crimes and increase federal jurisdiction on such crimes. More important, it would expand the groups protected under current law to include such categories as disability, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity.

<snip>
Supporters of the bill drew the ire of some Republicans, who said the bill was not germane to the defense bill and could jeopardize Pentagon programs if President Bush decides to veto it.

<snip>

For more:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3659768&page=1
and
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/politics/2005-5582.html

[Chovexani]

1. K&R for equal human rights

:woohoo:

[BlooInBloo]

2. Take your rays of sunshine where you can find them.

[Zodiak]

3. excellent!

good news. And good that we are using their old tricks to get it done. This nicey-nice crap in the service of defending millions of Americans is getting us nowhere. Punch 'em in the face, I say....they respond to no less.

[silverweb]

4. Wonderful news!

Let the hateful reTHUGs stew!

:applause:

[TheWraith]

5. What, good news? We can't have this!

Don't you know all Democrats are really Republicans in disguise, and never do anything good? :sarcasm:

[goodgd_yall]

6. All our Democratic senators were there to vote AYE n/t

[mark414]

7. about fucking time

how petty and hateful will bush look if he vetoes a defense bill because he hates gays that much?

say it over and over again: Republicans want to compromise our security for the sake of hate.

[Kelly Rupert]

8. K&R'd to remind DU that the two sides are NOT the same. n/t

[annabanana]

9. That is great news.

A lot of people have been working very hard for a long time for this.
KUDOS!

[TomInTib]

10. But Larry (Tap-Tap) Craig voted against it.

Amazing.

Man, that dude is one tough mofo when it comes to homos and the like.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/27/senate-passes-hate-crimes_n_66147.html

[goodgd_yall]

12. De Nile just ain't a river in Egypt n/t

[MzNov]

11. It's a crying shame that we actually need to pass a bill for this.

All vicious killings should be hate crimes IMHO. But if our luminaries say they need a bill, then by all means.....

[Kurovski]

13. K&R (nt)

[NMMNG]

14. It's about time.

:applause:

[Breeze54]

15. Thank You again, Sen. Kennedy!!

This is good news!!

"More important, it would expand the groups protected under current law to include
such categories as disability, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity."

:kick: & Recommended!!

[Chipper Chat]

16. If Larry Craig had been gay-bashed inside that stall

within an inch of his life by a thug who shouted "fuckin queer' at him with every pummel... .....well....good ol Larry would probably still vote against this bill.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

17. Never thught I'd ever have a kind word to say about Norm Coleman

Well done Norm, thank you. And to the other 8 who voted for this, thanks as well.

'Republicans who supported the amendment were: Sens. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Susan Collins of Maine, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Olympia Snowe of Maine, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, George Voinovich of Ohio and John Warner of Virginia.'