The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act is here, it’s queer, and Obama is just getting used to it.
Some 150 guests — including AG Eric Holder, Defense Sec. Robert Gates, families of James Byrd and Matthew Shepard (whose name the White House misspelled in a release), Ted Kennedy’s widow Vicki, VP Biden, Sens. Carl Lein Patrick Leahy, and Rep. Jerry Nadler — stood by Obama as he said yes to real, live federal LGBT legislation.
For the first time in America’s history.
Hi statement in part:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
So today I’m pleased to say that we have proved that change is possible. It may not come quickly, or all at once, but if you push hard enough, it does come eventually.
Now, speaking of that, there is one more long-awaited change contained within this legislation that I’ll be talking about a little more later today. After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we’ve passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are. (Applause.)
I promised Judy Shepard, when she saw me in the Oval Office, that this day would come, and I’m glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event. I’m also honored to have the family of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who fought so hard for this legislation. And Vicki and Patrick, Kara, everybody who’s here, I just want you all to know how proud we are of the work that Ted did to help this day — make this day possible. So — and thank you for joining us here today.
UPDATE: Obama speaks at the reception this evening in D.C.:
EARLIER: When Obama Signs the Matthew Shepard Act, Here’s What Won’t Change
A
Very Cool – First Passed Federal Civil Rights Legislation. Very Cool indeed.
A first step….
Steff
Matthew Shepard (whose name the White House misspelled in a release)
*ahem*
http://www.queerty.com/obama-will-speak-at-hrcs-pre-march-dinner-why-now-20091005/
and
http://www.queerty.com/the-universal-gay-rights-bill-you-dont-want-20090331/
and
http://www.queerty.com/fred-phelps-banned-from-the-uk-20090219/
and
http://www.queerty.com/will-obama-come-through-on-gay-issues-20090105/
I really could go on.
Steff
Back to the topic at hand: woo!
hyhybt
It may not be everything, but it’s something, which is more than we had before. Whenm does it take effect?
Sydney
Oh, I like Obama for a day! It’s a miracle.
christopher di spirito
^5^ Barry!
Now, instruct the Congress to have bills on your desk in the next 2 weeks to sign repealing both DADT and DOMA before Washington shuts down for its 6 week Christmas holiday.
Criswell
Repeal of DOMA, DADT and calling for Marriage Equality would create a culture where American gay kids aren’t marginalized.
I am happy for Judy Shepard. RIP Matthew
Meanwhile folks – Obama just got $680 mil towards continuing the Iraq war. ( but shhhhhh dont mention that )
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/obama-to-sign-2010-defense-spending-bill-2009-10-27
Criswell
I mean BILLION
Bertie
Look at the pleased as punch puss on his face.
what do you want, Barry?
a fucking medal?
Nobel Pri… oops, nevermind.
Brian White
Email from HRC:
It took twelve years, over one million emails, faxes and phone calls to Congress, and 14 separate votes on the floors of the House and the Senate to turn the hate crimes bill into law. Right-wing groups opposed us ferociously until the very end; they knew having a pro-LGBT law on the books would be a game-changer, and it is.
So, all our efforts got the Democrats to staple the Bill to the huge “Defense Spending Bill,” right? They didn’t get this passed on it own merits, right? It was passed because the Defense funding was held hostage – not because they wanted to do it, right?
Joe Continues . . .
We’ve learned invaluable lessons. Now we know the next victory will take at least that much effort. But it must not take that much time. That means we need your help now. Please Donate NOW.
The Hates Crime Law doesn’t create or even inspire LGBT Equality – it just punishes bad behavior. Oh, yeah – equality is coming, equality is coming … send more money.
28 years and $300 million has gone to HRC. This is the very first law we have ever passed and it is rather insignificant. Plus, it wasn’t actually approved by our Congress – it was “force fed.”
Gee Joe, what are we supposed to be excited about? this isn’t progress – it’s a non-event.
Ozymandias
Hooray! I honestly never thought I’d see the day that this law would pass… it’s a great step, but it’s only a step. Now we have to redouble our efforts… but for now, *this* gay guy is celebrating!
Andrew
We didn’t achieve anything. The Hates Crime part was forced, not approved, by our Congress. It’s hard to get excited or claim this is some sort of LGBT “victory” when it wasn’t even voted on. When it is necessary to “sneak us” into a Defense Spending Bill – that should give you an idea of what our Congress and America still thinks of us.
This law doesn’t protect anyone or change anyone’s mind about us – in that regard, it has little meaning. It is not a victory or accomplishment.
Rob Moore
This was attached to the spending bill in an attempt to get our money and our votes; mostly our money. Glad it passed, even if through a downstairs window rather than the front door, but I’m still not feeling the love or the motivation to give money to the DNC. The Democrats have proved themselves as dysfunctional as the Republicans. The Republicans could only pass laws that were stupid and made things worse. The Democrats simply can’t pass legislation of much importance.
Does this mean we can invoke the Hate Crimes legislation the next time Obama’s Department of Justice uses hateful, false, and slanderous arguments in defense of the Special Marriage Rights for Heterosexuals Act. That alone is enough not to forgive Clinton much less DADT.
Bhutan Boy
New concepts for though process.
Bhutan Boy
New concepts for thought process.
Bertie
Congress should have called it “Protected But Not Respected Act”
No repeal of DADT or DOMA for you nice folks. Too soon. Too soon.
Obama: “No American should be afraid to walk down the street holding hands with the one they love.”
(Except if that street is on a Military Base, right?)
Holding hands in public doesn’t bring equal marriage rights.
Enjoy your War Chest – let’s make more amputees!
Andrew
The Democrats did not take a stand for LGBT people with this Bill – they attached it to the Defense Spending Bill. The term “spineless” comes to mind.
There is reason to be hopeful, but no cause for celebration. Our President and our Congress did not make an affirmative statement on our behalf – we were defaulted into the Defense Bill. It clearly reinforces the idea that LGBT are “those poor defective people” that need to be protected. It is negative reinforcement.
rudy
Blaming the Democrats for doing the necessary politics to get a bill past Republican bigots is just plain ridiculous.
Go back in your Log Cabin closet.
dontblamemeivotedforhillary
yay (in lower case!)
reason
@Andrew No.18
The bill got passed, and people should be pleased. Now gays get to join the others that are protected by hate crimes legislation including heterosexual of all races, religion, and gender. It does not matter that it was passed as an attachment to a must pass bill. If anything through the eyes of the senate it makes us equal granted that George Bush passed tons of legislation and appointments through parliamentary maneuvers including riders, budget reconciliation, and recess appointments. Finding a circuitous route to get legislation passed is a sign of an effective legislator: they get what they want in the shortest time frame possible, and are able to spend the saved time trying to ram through another piece of legislation. It’s part of the game there is no reason to be offended that it was not passed as a separate bill, or it would be year seven of Obama’s presidency with not hate crimes bill, and you all would be really angry then. Hate crimes are done now congress can move on to EDNA. Thanks Rep. John Conyers and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for their steadfast support in sponsoring this bill continuously from its inception nearly a decade ago. Thanks Sen. Leahy for pick up were Sen. Kennedy left off, and your continued support of civil rights.
reason
@Andrew No.18
The bill got passed, and people should be pleased. Now gays get to join the others that are protected by hate crimes legislation including heterosexual of all races, religion, and gender. It does not matter that it was passed as an attachment to a must pass bill. If anything through the eyes of the senate it makes us equal granted that George Bush passed tons of legislation and appointments through parliamentary maneuvers including riders, budget reconciliation, and recess appointments. Finding a circuitous route to get legislation passed is a sign of an effective legislator: they get what they want in the shortest time frame possible, and are able to spend the saved time trying to ram through another piece of legislation. It’s part of the game there is no reason to be offended that it was not passed as a separate bill, or it would be year seven of Obama’s presidency with not hate crimes bill, and you all would be really angry then. Hate crimes are done now congress can move on to EDNA. Thanks Rep. John Conyers and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for their steadfast support in sponsoring this bill continuously from its inception nearly a decade ago. Thanks Sen. Leahy for picking up were Sen. Kennedy left off, and your continued support of civil rights.
TroyM
I really don’t care how this bill got passed, it did… and now there is FEDERAL legislation in place extending protection to the LGBTQ community. It took 11 years after Matthew died… Eleven years. Change does not come about overnight, nor does it come about in the avenue we would like it to. This would not have made it through a Bush White House. Now we can move on to the NEXT pieces of legislation, namely DOMA and DADT and ENDA. Kudos to the legislators who had the foresight to attach this legislation into a bill that would be passed by the Executive branch, kudos to Judy and Dennis Shepard who have fought for this for so many many years… I hope that Matt is smiling in heaven over this. There is more to fight for, but this is a step in the right direction.
Andrew
@ Rudy + Reason + TroyM:
You may celebrate the Hate Crimes Bill passage, but stop suggesting it was a “victory,” it was not. A victory would mean the Congress – our elected officials – believed LGBT should have protections. That is not what happened. It had to be attached to the Defense Spending Bill.
Mark
TroyM:
The bill doesn’t provide any “protection,” it only provides punishment for bad behavior. To provide protection you’d have to provide individual security for LGBT people.
This doesn’t really add to our equality – it just further defines us as a protected class. It doesn’t help us to be “protected.” It’s actually counterproductive. Equality means “same.” With the passing of this Bill we’re less “same” and more unequal.
TroyM
@ Andrew and Mark… ya know what, I need the wood. I’m happy this bill passed and I think it marks a step in the right direction for the LGBTQ community… if you don’t see it that way, fine… that’s your decision and I am SO not going to argue the point. All I’m saying is that it took 11 years… 11 years… to get from the point where Matt Shepard was beaten nearly to death and tied to a fence post in Wyoming to getting FEDERAL legislation classifying that as a hate crime. That’s progress, boys, like it or not, and I am not going to argue, respond or in any way acknowledge anything you might say against it, but I am damn proud that Pres. Obama had the guts to sign this legislation into law. I don’t care that it was “attached” to a defense spending bill… kudos to the congressmen and women, our senators, who made “attached” this bill and made it into law. Props to Pres. Obama for signing it. HUGE props to people like Judy and Dennis Shepard who fought for years to get this law signed… which NEVER would have happened in the Bush years! Please! So get off your high horses and your whiney bitchy ‘tudes… is there more to be done? Damn right there is, so as a member of an organization who IS fighting for equal rights, regardless of gender, color or sexual orientation, rejoice in the passing of this law and be happy… I never thought I’d see something like this in MY lifetime. And I will continue the fight on your behalf. Peace and love.
Dav
god how many pens does he needa use to sign the legislation. I thought you just well.. sign it.
Kevin Coyle
People, some of you are moaning that this bill being attached to a defense bill to get it passed means it is not really progress. THIS IS POLITICS! Understand that many some ones wanted this bill passed enough that they went to the people that wanted the defense bill to pass and said ” if you will support the Mathew Shepard bill that we are trying to push through we will support the defense bill you are trying to push through” . Do you people see how this works now? You scratch my back Ill scratch yours. Did you really expect every one to agree to support this bill? Welcome to the real world! Again this is politics, this is how it works, no matter what the bill is this process is always the same. The progress is made by virtue that enough people believed in it that they used their combined force to say ” WE WILL NOT SUPPORT THE DEFENS BILL UNLESS THE REST OF YOU STAND BEHIND THE MAT SHEPARD BILL” and that is progress, that is many people flexing their muscles and saying the maty Shepard bill will pass becasue it is the right thing to do. Congress is never 100% behind any bill.
Brian
@ Kevin Coyle and TroyM
Progress would be the US Congress supporting LGBT Equality. They did not – they saved the Defense Spending Bill and had to swallow the LGBT-sponsored Law. I would call the defense spending the “hostage” in this deal.
Two-thirds of the US Congress is Anti-LGBT. Hmmm, same as it was 20 years ago. Please explain “progress.”
Jacob
This is a good sign for equal protection for LGBT! :o)
Now lets repeal DOMA, so same-sex marriage is valid throughout the nation. We all know DOMA is unconstitutional and that Congress overstepped its powers in doing so. The Full Faith and Credit Clause requires states to respect same-sex marriages performed in other states. The US needs to aim for a unified nation, which the Full Faith and Credit Clause aims to achieve :o)