Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill Protecting Gays

Source: AP

Oct 28, 2009 1:10 pm US/Pacific
Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill Protecting Gays
To Assure Its Passage, Democratic Supporters Attach Measure To Must-Pass Defense Policy Bill


WASHINGTON (AP) ― Trumpeting a victory against careless spending, President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a defense bill that kills some costly weapons projects and expands war efforts. In a major civil rights change, the law also makes it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation.

The $680 billion policy bill authorizes spending but doesn't provide any actual dollars. Rather it sets guidance that is typically followed by congressional committees that decide appropriations. Obama hailed it as a step toward ending needless military spending that he called "an affront to the American people and to our troops."

Still, the president did not win every fiscal fight. He acknowledged he was putting his name to a bill that still had waste.

The measure expands current hate crimes law to include violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. To assure its passage after years of frustrated efforts, Democratic supporters attached the measure to the must-pass defense policy bill over the steep objections of many Republicans.



Read more: http://cbs13.com/national/hate.crimes.bill.2.1276625.html

Truly big news.

The tomato in LGBT are the ones that face the most discrimination, even among the lettuce and garbanzos in LGBT.

?
/rimshot

Mmm...guacamole. :9

after the make is emasculated.

I am Lettuce, hear me roar!

bout time gays and transgenders were protected.

:toast:

:)

:patriot:

Let me know when this law is used for a hate crime against straight people.

I watched President Obama sign the bill on CNN while I was flying cross country on Delta. The person next to me kept giving me strange looks as I snapped pictures with my camera of the screen on seat back in front of me. I wanted an artifact of where I was when President Obama signed the bill in to law.

I teared up in happiness about being able to witness this moment in history.

Now on to the business of getting a strong public option passed.

How many of the hateful will we capture under this bill but I see this as a signal to the hatemongers that we no longer will allow hate being rendered against people based on their gender orientation.

As it stands right now, an employer can fire someone for their sexual orientation and they have no protection under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

As with many common sense and compassionate bills....and obviously just about anything useful from now on.


But don't forget! Matthew Shepard was a robbery! Uh huh....

Why is acknowledging the obvious ( like Shepard was tortured and left to die because he was gay) such a steep objection for Repugs?

The new law protest people based on sexual orientation - gay is only on of many orientations.

Let me translate that for you...

"The new law protects people based on sexual orientation - gay is only one of many orientations."


Because what you said is important....and my keyboard sometimes doesn't type the letters I intend or leaves them out altogether too.

I just clicked the link again... the new headline is

Obama Inks Defense Bill With Hate Crimes Provision

Heavy sarcasm.

I wasn't going to trash Obama on this thread, but anti-gay people like you compel me to point out that this is only the tip of the fucking iceberg of what Obama PROMISED to do, and it is, very literally, the very LEAST he could do. He did not introduce this legislation. He did not lobby for this legislation. He merely signed it.

That does not make him Harvey Milk II. All that makes him is slightly less hypocritical than he was yesterday.

and Obama mentioned it in his speeches on gay rights that's not lobbying?

Offensive, unnecessary motions filed in favor of DOMA AND DADT, and, boy, did the cheerleaders scream bloody murder when we tried to say that Obama was going back on his word. "Obama does not control the DoJ!" "You want Obama to be like Bush?!"

You can't have it both ways.

As for Obama's "lobbying"... no. Mentioning something in a speech is NOT lobbying. Obama's fucking GREAT at giving speeches. At actually WORKING for something? Not so much.

Lobbying would mean that he put in some phone time and some face time with members of Congress to get this done. There is no evidence that he did anything of the sort. The only interaction Obama's had with Congress on GLBT issues is when he pressured Alcee Hastings to WITHDRAW a bill that would have cut off funding for DADT.

I am pleased that Obama signed this bill. However, it did not fool me into believing that Obama is now a champion crusader for equality, nor even the "fierce advocate" he claimed to be. All it means is that he kept his word on this particular promise.

Spare me. He only ever gets fired up about GLBT issues when he's ADDRESSING GLBT PEOPLE. And even then, he has no details, he has no specifics, he has no timetables. It's always, "I will fight for you, but don't ask me how. I will get you equality, but don't ask me when."

OBAMA is the one who doesn't believe in the concept of the bully pulpit.

but since you gave me this really flimsy excuse, I'll just do what I really want!

:rofl:

So it's verboten (or homophobic) to point out that some people continue to bash Obama over that? :wtf:

Whatevs.

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I just couldn't figure out a way to compose even a remotely civil reply to that post.

:mad:

:eyes:

We've got your homophobic number.

Next time keep it to yourself. Or otherwise I'll just assume that you actually want to read some negative posts, since your nasty tone provoked it.

Heavy sarcasm.

Heavy sarcasm

I thought these posts were for it.

I am all for protecting people and being strict on those who hurt people, But I simply cant say that I agree with certain victims getting more justice than other victims.
Crime is crime In my opinion.
All of it is terrible and should not be tolerated.

If a grandma is walking down the street and is beaten to death for her wallet, then she deserves the same justice that someone who is beaten to death for being gay.
Same for any other human being who falls victim to murder.

Sorry, thats just how I feel.

Criticize me if you want.

It protects Sexual Orientation, not just gay folks - every one with an orientation it protects.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/sexual%20orientation

Main Entry: sexual orientation
Function: noun
: the inclination of an individual with respect to heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual behavior


A crime is a hate crime only if it is

Physically violent.
A felony. That means anything that might put someone in prison for more than a year.
Motivated by prejudice based on sexual orientation (or any other category).

From what I had read, I thought this bill made it a federal offense to attack someone for being gay (or bi, or straight for that matter).
The bill makes it a federal offense for attacking someone based on thier sexual preference. Is this correct?

So if someone is attacked during a robbery, fight, or just a random hateful attack, and is hurt real bad, it wont be a federal offense? Or it will be a federal offense because the person acted with physical violence (as your definition states)?

But if someone is attacked for being a certain sexual orientation, it will be a federal offense and there will be stiffer punishment.

meaning, one victim somehow deserves more justice than the other even though they were both attacked (for whatever reason).

I just think everyone deserves equal justice and equal rights. No matter what

My little brother is gay and I love him to death, and I am all for equal protection, but i just think we need to punish crimes and not the reasons behind them.

Congrats. Do you get money for that?

It's not a preference, it's an orientation. Hate crimes legislation is meant to:

1. Provide justice for those who don't get it because of local prejudice, etc.
2. Punish terrorism of an entire group of people, which is what gay-bashing is.

gays won't. Once something is a "hate crime" the FBI gets involved. Just a little incentive to keep the local cops on the ball.

to determine the correct legal recourse/penalty.

A person killed for being gay, or for being robbed.... these two situations have the same outcome, however there are two different crimes: one was motivated by "hate" (get it?) and the other was the side effect of a robbery. As such, justice needs to define the whole context of the crime, in order to sentence accordingly.

I am tired of ignorant straight people thinking that "hate crime legislation" somehow discriminates against them.

I'm sure you'd be more "comfortable" there...

The intent of a criminal in robbing someone of their money and beats a person to do so is much different than the intent of a person who want to beat someone because they are gay and then takes their money because it was there.

Your argument always falls flat because it is simplistic deconstruction of justice.

Under your view there is one law called "Crime" and everyone who commits a crime is punished equally.

IF there is a heaven, Teddy is up there sailing the clouds and smiling...This legislation was one of his prize works.

:toast:

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I don't think any of us have changed our view of President Obama. But let's enjoy this victory.

right? He's just along for the ride and didn't do the heavy lifting but is proud to take credit for it. Once he does a tiny bit of lifting with say, oh I don't know, the military ban on openly gay service, then I'll give him credit.

I love DU. Obama does something good, people get pissed. Obama doesn't do something else, people get pissed.

Watch for that argument to be trotted out no matter what gets accomplished under his watch.

Message received.

I didn't point out "Uppity Gays". YOU characterized the comment so you can indulge your poor-me act.

I don't care what issue it is, there are people who will criticize every step this administration takes. I think it's clear from the tenor of the comments.

Go take your Fight Club jones somewhere else.

Such a shame DU allows teh gays to whine, isn't it? They should be grateful they have the rights they do, and yet, all they do is cry about all the rights being withheld! CakeGrrl has HER rights, so therefore Obama's doing a great job! Why must we be subjected to all this complaining? Can't teh gays just drink from their gays-only water fountains and be happy they're getting water?

What is it that I or most anyone else here, who is not a member of Congress and who does not hold sway in the West Wing, can do?

What does picking a cyber-argument do toward seeing legislation supportive of GLBT rights put in place? Maybe it's cathartic to vent at other DUers, but don't expect me to sit still and be labeled homophobic or anti-GLBT or accused of telling people to "sit down and shut up" just because it's far easier for you to do that here than it is to get the ear of the White House.

If you've read my posts on this thread, you'll see that I tried to explain that Obama did the right thing here and it would not be in especially good taste to bash him for it. However, don't expect ME to sit still while cheerleaders like you slam people who have every right to STILL be angry with Obama, regardless of his doing the right thing in this situation.

What exactly do YOU accomplish by arguing with GLBT people who are angry because they don't have their rights? Is it so important to you that no one has a bad word to say about Obama that you can't allow people bitching about him to pass unremarked?

YOU responded to an anti-Obama poster in this thread. YOU could have allowed the comment to pass, and you chose not to. Why is YOUR right to bitch more legitimate than mine, or any other gay persons?

What you said!

it. Even among the people that are on their side, whom they then alienate.

Funny how that works, isn't it.

You've made that abundantly clear.

I think civil libertarians in general aren't too enthused about Obama's track record at this juncture, seeing as how closing Camp Delta evidently doesn't mean actually charging those inmates against whom there is evidence and releasing those against whom there is not.

Oh yeah, and that thing about restoring science to its rightful place has been falling more than a little short of expectations as well.

They tar with big big brushes around here. You'll join the list of "haters" and be utterly dismissed no matter how logical your point.

I just don't think this is the time to bash Obama. When your dog pees outside instead of on the living room rug, you don't hit it with a newspaper. You praise it. And then the next time it pees on the rug, you hit it with a newspaper.

and Congress would never have overridden a veto. Could he have been more vocal supporting it? Maybe. Are there other equality issues to be addressed? For sure and hopefully he'll get more involved in those issues.

But today Obama signed the hate crimes bill. It is now the law. I applaud him for that.

working behind the scenes to help get this passed?

Given Obama's dismal track record on equality, and the number of times he's needed to apologize to the gay community, it's reasonable to conclude that if he had done ANYTHING to advance our issues, he'd be sure to talk about it.

It is not reasonable to assume that Obama is working quietly behind the scenes for GLBT issues, given his mostly silent public face on those issues. And defending him on those issues is insulting to GLBT people rightfully upset with him.

ooops.

This week has been just chock full of good news that has made me smile - twice.

Once because of the good thing that finally was allowed to happen.

Twice because of all the repuke heads exploding at the same time...

:woohoo:

Shit I'd even go so far as to include a provision that says that anyone dumb enough to not realize why this is a good thing automatically gets their voting privaleges revoked. I'm looking at you teabaggers!

:kick:

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you for signing the Matthew Shepard Bill, a proper step forward in America's long-overdue recognition of equal rights for gays.

Now, you have two ugly pieces of legislation creeping up your legs: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", and the Defense of Marriage Act!

:)

:applause: :bounce: Thank you Mr. President. Now DADT, what about dat?

:kick:

Wouldn't a greater deterrant against hate crimes be treating gays as full citizens with the right to serve in the armed forces and to marry?

I am not saying this to diminish 'hate crime' protection I just think that keeping people like this as a seperate type by legal exclusion reinforces the 'other-ing' that makes violence more possible in the hearts of others.

But we all need to be resigned to the fact that this country is going to go about recognizing gay equaltity in the same ass-backwards way that African-American rights were recognized - bit by torturous bit. As a society, we've learned nothing, apparently, from history.

This isn't Obama's fault. But he wanted the job, and he made the promises. Now he has to live up to it.

:thumbsup:

It was because I was straight. He wasn't happy with a straight guy partying with "his" gay crowd in Dallas.

Nah, I wouldn't have turned him in anyway since we had a lot of mutual friends. After one of those friends broke it up and read him the riot act, we all went to a local drag show for drinks.

But I won't hold my breath for the first prosecution of a gay for attacking a straight under this law.

...you are wise not to hold your breath. However, you'll be delighted to learn that, under this legislation, you could have charged the gay guy with a hate crime instead of the both of you cooling off and resolving what sounds like a fairly minor disagreement.

As opposed to, say, being beaten to a pulp, tied to a fence, and left to die.

Gays are people just like everybody else. You have good ones, bad ones, people who just lose their temper. Being gay doesn't make you a better or worse person. The right and the far, far left would like you to think that it has an effect, but it doesn't.

They then are also subject to social dynamics. One of those dynamics is that when a group is in the majority in an area or group the more unsavory or less self-controlled among them tend to abuse the minority.

What happened in Dallas, a BIG gay community back then, wouldn't have happened in, say, Cheyenne. There the less desirable straights are probably beating up the gays.

Damn, this is bringing back fond memories. When giving my friend driving directions in the car I'd naturally say something like "Go straight through this intersection," and he'd say "I will not go straight. I will go gay-ly forth!" Good times.

Your silly slap-fight with one obnoxious gay person is not indicative of the kind of terrorism this bill is intended to combat. When gay people start roaming the streets in gangs looking for straight people to beat up, then you can come to me with your tales of the terrible abuses suffered by straighty at the hands of the gay menace.

Have you been listening to Dobson?

Gays do commit violence against straights because they are straight. Flat-out truth. It doesn't happen as often as the other way around, but then there aren't as many gays as straights either and they aren't as often in positions of majority where it can be abused.

Slap-fight? Is this indicative of a prejudice you have against gays? You don't think gays can fight for real, that they only slap? That's one hell of a stereotype.

Fucking DUH.

More straight people are mauled by BEARS than attacked by gay people. More straight people are stung to death by BEES than killed by gay people. Yet straight people don't live their lives worried that they're going to be attacked by bears or killed by bees.

Gay people DO live their lives worried that they're going to be attacked and/or killed by straight people.

Do you fucking GET IT YET? Do you see how obnoxiously out-of-place your claims of straight-bashing are, when we're celebrating the passing of a law named after a man who was beaten, tied to a fence, and left for dead just for being GAY?

If gay people were the majority, I have no doubt that many more straight people would beaten for being straight. But gay people AREN'T the fucking majority. This law is in place because, in the real world where we all live, gay people are beaten and killed DAILY by straight people.

Thank you for being compelled to point out that nobody's better than anyone else. This law would surely have sparked a massive surge in gay uppitiness, without your sobering reminder that gay people are just as prone to beating up straight people as vice versa. Even though that's NOT FUCKING TRUE.

I'm wondering about fair and equal application of the law. I've seen too many black-on-white beatings because the victim was white where the hate crime statute wasn't invoked, yet most attacks the other way have the hate crime statute invoked.

Now it needs to be aggressively enforced and given the high profile it deserves.

Too often conservative cops are a dampening filter that works to defeat enforcement and do not protect those this measure specifically helps.

They need to be watched and prodded as is needed to keep them on mission to protect and serve everyone, not some more so than others.