Hate Crime Bill

[Mizzou]

ACTION ALERT from the National Center for Transgender Equality

On THIS Thursday, the Senate will be voting on Senator Kennedy's Hate Crimes amendment to the Defense Authorization Act (S.1105). We need you to call your Senators
now to urge their support of this critical bill, which would extend hate crimes protections to transgender people.

Please, call the Capitol Switchboard at 1202 224 3121 A.S.A.P.; let them know what state you are from and ask to be connected with your Senators.

The language of the amendment is identical to that passed by the US House of Representatives on May 3, 2007 (H.R.1592). It is vital that you contact your Senator today or tomorrow. As you read this, the Radical Right is mobilizing to oppose the federal hate crimes bill and attempt to prevent its passage in the Senate. They're using scare tactics and flat-out lies in hopes of killing the amendment. Make sure that your Senators hear your voice and how important this bill is to you and our community.

The Hate Crimes bill would:

* Extend existing federal protections to include "gender identity, sexual orientation, gender and disability"

* Allow the Justice Department to assist in hate crime investigations at the local level when local law enforcement is unable or unwilling to fully address these crimes

* Mandate that the FBI begin tracking hate crimes based on actual or perceived gender identity

* Remove limitations that narrowly define hate crimes to violence committed while a person is accessing a federally protected activity, such as voting.

Find your Senators' contact information:
http://www.nctequality.org/visit_ legislators. html

Background information about the hate crimes bill is available on NCTE'S webpage: http://nctequality.org/hatecrimes. html

Call your Senators today and urge your friends and family to do the same!

 

[Tousi]

I don't think I agree with this bill because it just confuses/muddies the waters and not necessary.

 

[jillio]

I find it a sad state of affairs that we need to legislate against something of this nature. Hate crimes are wrong because of moral implications. What does it say about our society that we have to pass a law against something that is so objectionable on moral standards?

 

[Tousi]

I find it a sad state of affairs that we need to legislate against something of this nature. Hate crimes are wrong because of moral implications. What does it say about our society that we have to pass a law against something that is so objectionable on moral standards?

Yeah, I think those criminal behaviors are ALREADY in their nature hate-filled and existing laws take care of that as to consequences. Hate laws, imho appear to be the first step toward regulating/legislating our thoughts.

 

[jillio]

Yeah, I think those criminal behaviors are ALREADY in their nature hate-filled and existing laws take care of that as to consequences. Hate laws, imho appear to be the first step toward regulating/legislating our thoughts.

Exactly...you can't legislate morality. Unfortunatley, it doesn't seem to be taught much, either.:|

 

[Hwy99]

I don't think I agree with this bill because it just confuses/muddies the waters and not necessary.

Well "Gender Identify" haven't been include in the anti-discrimination law yet. Only New Mexico, Minnesota, Rhode Island, also I think Washington too have the law against the discrimination of the gender identify.

 

[Reba]

I don't support this legislation.

We have laws against assault and battery, and murder. Why should it matter if the attacker loves, hates, or doesn't care about the victim? The attacker should be punished regardless of his/her "feelings" about the victim.

Also, why is this amendment attached to a Defense bill?

"...the Senate will be voting on Senator Kennedy's Hate Crimes amendment to the Defense Authorization Act (S.1105)..."

It's extortion, that's why.

 

[Interpretrator]

Also, why is this amendment attached to a Defense bill?

Because that's always how things are done in Congress. Ridiculous, but there it is.

I always have mixed feelings about this issue. On the one hand, I agree with what people have said, that the crime is the crime and it's not appropriate to be legislating based on people's thoughts. Once that happens it sets a dangerous precedent.

On the other hand, emotionally I DO want there to be stricter punishments when crimes are committed due to racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, etc. I want those people to have to undergo special education and training and I want their sentences to be longer.

It's really hard for me to pick a position since I have strong emotional feelings about it, but they conflict with my political Libertarian leanings.