So the U.S. Senate decided anyone who attacks gay and transgender Americans should suffer greater consequences if that violence is motivated by hate. Yup: The Matthew Shepard Act, attached to the Defense Department’s spending bill, passed.
The bill passes without funding for the F-22 program, a sticking point that President Obama insisted he would veto.
Still on the table? The death penalty for hate crimes, which Sen. Jeff Sessions (who opposes the new hate crimes classes) injected into the bill. A special conference committee that will convene to match up the House and Senate versions of the Matthew Shepard Act will decide which portions to keep (like the death penalty provision) before both legislatures vote one final time in September, sending the bill to Obama.
Who better sign that mo’ fo’.
GeoVaughn.com
It’s about damn time!
rick
“Who better sign that mo’ fo’.”
way to stay classy! i swear this site has turned into a gay site to make gays look bad.
SM
That’s fantastic~
Matthew Shepard is your Rosa Parks.
Republicans have not fought this bill so hard because of hate crimes legislation. They have fought this bill because once it’s signed into Federal Law, you are a recognized protected class and have grounds for everything else you want.
Matthew Shepard is about to be remembered forever as giving you justice.
InExile
@SM: I hope you are correct but the way it looks, this will be it. Nothing more.
SM
@InExile:
Uh…ok.
Well, we all know that you are the person who wants the gay civil rights movement to be be the Presidnet walking to the Oval office and signing an Executive Orders.
InExile
@SM: No, but SOME LEADERSHIP might help! Bush was a leader, some are leaders and some are followers, and others are salesmen.
InExile
@SM: Oh, that’s right “WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO”, funny how me becomes you or we after the election huh???
SM
@InExile:
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been a battle for @ 10 years. Its about to be passed and you are crying why?
The Religious Rights does not lose sleep over hate crimes legislation. They lose sleep over LGBT being a protected class by Federal Law.
Get organized and fight ENDA and DADT because the military is a career. DOMA will tumble on its own as a couple more states allow marriage equality.
Not to hard to figure out!
Oh…Obama has also made campaign promises to people with disabilities, Native Americans, veterans. YOU CAME FIRST~
InExile
@SM: This may seem like a stupid question to you, but what has he done?
TANK
If obama signs this, this is one of three pledges to lgbt’ers that if go unfulfilled during this administration–determine whether I’ll be voting for him again.
SM
@TANK:
Do me a favor and DON’T vote for him.
You DON’T HELP the cause.
SM
Can Queerty write an article with sounding like a bigot or race baiting? You would think the Equality people could do that…
We are so mistreated at the same time we think its funny to act like bigots!
dumb and dumber…