Hate Crimes Law Gets The Presidential Signature

Today, President Barack Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The law added sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability to the list of protected categories with regards to hate crimes. While this does not mean that every crime that is perpetrated against a person within those categories, it stiffens the penalties for those crimes if the victim was targeted because of their gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

[FrankieM]

YAY!! Step by step we move forward.

[TomInElPaso]

Congrats to all who has worked so hard to get this important piece of civil rights protection passed!

May this move give Matthew Shepards mother comfort.

[Craig in OKC]

We all owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to Judy Shepard for her years of diligence in getting this passed. While it's a horrific shame she has had to endure the loss she did, she shows true human compassion for taking that loss and making it into a positive result for thousands upon thousands.
Judy Shepard, I salute you and am in absolute awe of you.

[Rocco]

Yeah!! Good news for once. However modest and late, this is the first concrete action Obama has taken for the general American LGBT population.

Next item of business: ENDA

[JRobert]

Another step on the slippery slope to thought crimes and totalitarianism.

[JRobert]

shadow wrote:

<quoted text> if you see beating the s#### out of someone as a thought crime then yeah i suppose it is...dumbass...

Throw out a little mild disagreement as bait and the suckers will bite every time...

[Craig in OKC]

JRobert wrote:

Another step on the slippery slope to thought crimes and totalitarianism.

Oh, just admit that what you're really upset about is it's one more step AWAY from a theocracy.

[JRobert]

Craig in OKC wrote:

<quoted text> Oh, just admit that what you're really upset about is it's one more step AWAY from a theocracy.

Ha. The suckers must be hungry. They're not only snapping at the bait, but they're jumping to conclusions.

Sorry, Craig. I'm not religious.

[Craig in OKC]

JRobert wrote:

<quoted text>
Ha. The suckers must be hungry. They're not only snapping at the bait, but they're jumping to conclusions.
Sorry, Craig. I'm not religious.

Ah, so you only post comments to try and bait people. Not to add to discussions or even really express a point of view. Yep, that's mature.

[Sei]

Sorry, I jumped the gun on the story. Pulling it until tomorrow.

[Selecia Jones- JAX FL]

Excellent news... a long time coming.

[Sei]

Got it fixed

[JRobert]

Craig in OKC wrote:

<quoted text> Ah, so you only post comments to try and bait people. Not to add to discussions or even really express a point of view. Yep, that's mature.

No, I try to get people to think. Clearly, I've failed in your case.

[Uaint2Smart]

Gays would automatically suffer fewer hate crimes if they'd learn to control public displays of affection, that they use to shock innocent bystanders.

Homo or hetro, PDoA is tacky. I don't want to see two people of the same gender swapping spit; the same goes for a guy and a gal playing tonsil hockey.

This is why God invented the Motel room.

[FrankieM]

Craig in OKC wrote:

We all owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to Judy Shepard for her years of diligence in getting this passed. While it's a horrific shame she has had to endure the loss she did, she shows true human compassion for taking that loss and making it into a positive result for thousands upon thousands.
Judy Shepard, I salute you and am in absolute awe of you.

Hear hear!! It is amazing the grace and dedication that this woman has shown! We would be a much better place if we had more like her.

[SanFranCal]

JRobert wrote:

<quoted text>
No, I try to get people to think. Clearly, I've failed in your case.

You really believe the people who frequent this forum haven't already given this issue a great deal of thought? Clearly, the failure to think is yours.

[Craig in OKC]

JRobert wrote:

<quoted text>
No, I try to get people to think. Clearly, I've failed in your case.

No, admitting that you are "baiting" is not trying to get people to think. It's merely baiting to try and get dissention. If you were truly trying to get people to think, you would post actual points of discussions rather than just trying to get people to react.

[equalityboy81]

dew4794 wrote:

HOMOPHOBES LOST again.

I'm not going to say that until it is signed.

[equalityboy81]

What will this law do to the Gay Panic Defense? Why was this never discussed? The Gay Panic Defense is a license to commit hate crimes. How will this conflict with the new hate crime once signed? Why has no one done away with Gay Panic Defense? A man in New York will most likely get off with nothing because of GPD for murdering a transgender person.

[equalityboy81]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_panic_defens...

This issue should be brought to Congress and Obama's attention. With GPD we are still much in danger.