Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act passes Congress, finally

[FreeState]

Great column in an unusual place (This paper is generally very GOP/Conservative)


http://www.mercurynews.com/columns/ci_13628360

Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act passes Congress, finally

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Posted: 10/25/2009 12:00:00 AM PDT

THERE ARE SOME crimes that are so monstrous that they leave an indelible stain on the national conscience.
The savage killing of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming back in 1998 was one. Shepard a 21-year-old gay college student, made the fatal mistake of accepting a ride with two men he'd met at a bar.

The men kidnapped Shepard, pistol whipped him, tortured him and left him for dead at a Laramie ranch. They strung the dying young man to a fence in frigid temperatures, where he was later discovered by someone who at first thought he was a scarecrow. Shepard later died from his injuries.

The authorities theorized that Shepard's killers set out at first to rob him. But, after learning he was gay, they decided to teach him a lesson.
The murder was a defining moment in the struggle for gay rights.

You might even say that Shepard was the gay movement's Emmett Till — the 14-year-old Chicago boy who was killed and mutilated in Mississippi in 1955, ostensibly for whistling at a white woman.

In both cases, we as a nation got an up close and personal look at the sickness that intense hatred and prejudice wreaks — a hatred based on someone else's perceived otherness, be it the color of their skin, religion, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. It is a hatred that fuels a violence that terrorizes not only the victim, but others who may share similar characteristics.....

Thats only part of it - it gets to the point were it even calls out Tony Perkins (a very anti-gay Focus on The Family employee/spokes person)

[saracat]

1. Thank God. Finally. this is a glimmer of hope.

[saracat]

2. Tony Perkins is a vile SOB. I suppose he feels his right to beat and

torture a young boy to death because he is at odds with Perkins view of Christianity, is being "marginalized." I hope he rots in hell. What a vile creature Perkins is.







"Not surprisingly, there are those misguided individuals who view the Matthew Shepard Act as a plot to spread homosexuality.

"It's part of a radical social agenda that ultimately could silence Christians and use the force of government to marginalize anyone whose faith is at odds with homosexuality," says Family Research Council President Tony Perkins."

[proud patriot]

3. It's a good thing

:)

[Skittles]

4. off to the Greatest Page with ye

:thumbsup:

[tmyers09]

5. I especially hate...

When religious groups state that it will "be unable to preach their beliefs" or that "people will be punished for thought crimes". I say it's about time. The hate spewed by some of these so-called Christians is repulsive. It's one thing to think that homosexuality is wrong. I don't agree, but you can have that opinion if you so choose. It's when you actively speak against the progress of this much-maligned group, doing your best to suppress any rights they try and acquire, and not condemning people who become violent and derogatory against somebody for no other reason than being gay, THAT"S when I have a big problem.

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R

[Oregone]

7. Yes, but boy oh boy, can states Opt-out of it? Did they trigger it?

Don't tell me Congress is capable of actually enacting legislation that isn't insanely watered-down.

[undergroundpanther]

8. Yay

I am so tired of the transphobia,homophobia, and the saddest and angering part is the religion that excuses homophobia,trans-phobia and mysogyny. Liberal christians have GOT to understand and READ the ugliness of thier bible. Because it is WRITTEN right there in the bible that liberal and rabid fundies use..Facing the FACT the rabid fundies are biblically correct just as much as liberal christians are must be dealt with.

To me the bible is the most destructive brilliant propaganda ever written.It has ruined countless lives,families,friendships,and nations.When will the bible stop getting in the way of humanity fighting real evils like sickness,diseases,ignorance,child abuse,poverty,war,psychopathy narcissism problem etc.?

http://www.otkenyer.hu/truluck/six_bible_passages.html