My commentary from what I caught, also on another thread:
Watching the process on CSPAN, Pelosi is on now for 1 min. Rep Hoyer, D-Maryland, gave a great speech about why it is important to pass HR 1592. If anyone comes across it, please PM me with the location.
The Republicans went to the floor requesting that protections for senior citizens and military members be covered and then denied the inclusion. Instead they pushed a motion to recommit with instructions, which would have killed it. The Democrats countered that senior citizens and military members are already protected. Right now the vote is 227 to not recommit and 178 to re commit. Out of the 188, 9 are democrats and out of the 227, 11 are republicans.
Recommit motion failed
Final vote on passage happening now
so far 130 for and 96 against
Right now it is 221 v 167, 23 repubs voting for and 11 democrats voting against
14 dems against, 224 v 173
25 repubs for, 233 v 180
Time is over, 237 v 180, Bill Is Passed!!
Please forgive my ignorance... but what is this exactly?
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,12964.0.html
HR 1592 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1592)
It's the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 allowing the Federal Government to give assistance (and grants of money) when requested by local law enforcement and adds sexual orientation, gender identity and disability to this list of hate crimes.
Beverly
I just checked and my congressman voted against the bill. He has now lost my vote forever and I will actively work for his opponent next election.
Final vote count: 237 - 180
Cut another notch on the staff. YAY!!!!!
It's a good day. Life is good!
Cindi
Quote from: Cindi Jones on May 03, 2007, 01:37:59 PM
Cut another notch on the staff. YAY!!!!!
It's a good day. Life is good!
Except that Crawford, TX village idiot has already said he will veto it.
Beverly
Quote from: BeverlyAnn on May 03, 2007, 01:40:10 PM
Quote from: Cindi Jones on May 03, 2007, 01:37:59 PM
Cut another notch on the staff. YAY!!!!!
It's a good day. Life is good!
Except that Crawford, TX village idiot has already said he will veto it.
Beverly
More than 6 years and 2 vetoes so far. The Republican party is crippled going into the next presidential election. Even if Bush vetoes it, the next president won't.
I'm not so sure that the Democratic party is not crippled as well. It's too bad we can't start over.
Cindi
I heard today the mainstream media say the bill will likely not pass because of the Bush veto. The Bush Administration claims there are already enough hate crime laws in the books already and that they are not being enforced properly. The religious right wing is afraid this bill will infringe on their religious freedoms such as protesting at gay rallys, etc. If we can ban together and contact our Congressmen and Congresswomen, this bill may have a chance of passing if the Congress can get a two thirds vote to override Bush's veto. I already contacted my congressman today and told him to vote for this bill. All we can do is hope it will pass.
Shannon
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) Speaks In Support Of Hate Crimes Bill
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-6249284583085625821
You are welcome :)
That was a moving speech. I just can't understand why anyone would be against this bill. I really can't.
Cindi
It doesn't make sense to me either. AmyT posted some interesting stats in the Activism forum:
"We are the largest victim of hate crimes in the country (1 out of 16 Transgender person will die as a result of a hate crime, more TS die and are victims of hate crimes compared to blacks, jewish people, gays, and all other minority groups COMBINED). If we do not fall under the need for a protected class, I don't know who does. We also face the largest rate of employment discrimination and medical discrimination against us is legal."
Outrageous in my opinion. On CNN, Jack Cafferty is asking for viewer commentary on Bush's threatened veto. I just sent mine in and I'm waiting to see what other comments are sent in. The misinformation about the bill being spread by people on the right is maddening. >:(
Rhonda
Rhonda, do you have a URL? I'd like to vote in on that one!
Thanks
Cindi
Never mind... I found it:
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/situation.room/
At the risk of being hated for asking this... humour me here...
Why should killing a transsexual (or anyone protected under this bill) carry a harsher sentence than any other murder? I'm not sure I understand the intent behind this?
~Kate~
Quote from: Kate on May 04, 2007, 08:43:47 PM
At the risk of being hated for asking this... humour me here...
Why should killing a transsexual (or anyone protected under this bill) carry a harsher sentence than any other murder? I'm not sure I understand the intent behind this?
~Kate~
I think it is a fair question Kate. Let's not take an extreme case like murder. What happens if you were to be beat up and the local sheriff decides you were at fault, came on to the poor guy or some other pretense to blame the victim. Then you have no recourse. I think with a federal law in place, you could then complain to the FBI and get some unbiased(hopefully) investigation and prosecution.
Rhonda
Yes Rhonda, that's exactly what it is about. In many jurisdictions, the police or courts may not give any credence to our claims concerning a violent crime. They may just think that we're queer and deserve anything dished out to us. Having this federal law would give us additional recourse.
Cindi
Quote from: rhondabythebay on May 04, 2007, 11:52:05 PM
Quote from: Kate on May 04, 2007, 08:43:47 PM
At the risk of being hated for asking this... humour me here...
Why should killing a transsexual (or anyone protected under this bill) carry a harsher sentence than any other murder? I'm not sure I understand the intent behind this?
~Kate~
I think it is a fair question Kate. Let's not take an extreme case like murder. What happens if you were to be beat up and the local sheriff decides you were at fault, came on to the poor guy or some other pretense to blame the victim. Then you have no recourse. I think with a federal law in place, you could then complain to the FBI and get some unbiased(hopefully) investigation and prosecution.
Rhonda
That is exactly what happened to Brandon Teena (Boys Don't Cry). When his friends found out he was born natal female, he was assaulted and he reported it to the local sheriff who did nothing. However Brandon did not have the resource of going to federal authorities and was later killed by his attackers.
Beverly
In a perfect world hate crime legislation would not be needed. I have a problem with the necessity of passing these types of laws but the fact is, that the laws are needed. This bill is wonderful in that it requires a violent act in order for it to be invoked. There is very little that someone can do to use this law other than for what it is intended to do, the ability to bring the feds into a case should the need to arise.
Another side effect is that violent crimes against us may be easier to track and will eventually give us a single source for the stats within the US. We have not had this yet as most of the time we are overlooked, either on accident or on purpose.
Quote from: Cindi Jones on May 03, 2007, 05:36:55 PM
I'm not so sure that the Democratic party is not crippled as well. It's too bad we can't start over.
Cindi
hmmm...we could ;) ......ya wanna run with me as my Veep Cindi? :P
Quote from: Shannon on May 04, 2007, 11:00:05 AM
The Bush Administration claims there are already enough hate crime laws in the books already
Maybe the Bush administration shouldn't breed so much hate in the world then.....jus sayin' :o
Quote from: Kate on May 04, 2007, 08:43:47 PM
At the risk of being hated for asking this... humour me here...
Why should killing a transsexual (or anyone protected under this bill) carry a harsher sentence than any other murder? I'm not sure I understand the intent behind this?
~Kate~
Kate I think the best analogy for this would be a beaten wife scenario...there was a time a wife could be at deaths door by her husbands hands and no one would do a damn thing about it. The woman could finally get the courage to leave and the husband would stalk her and often continue to beat if not kill her. With the spousal abuse laws and the newish antistalking laws an abused wife has much more power on her side to survie and even prosecute.
Laws that protect or at least pretend to are good things in the end because it gives us precedent and recourse.
Do laws really protect, I am not sure.
I am particularily discouraged today. I am a Christian, I love God and Jesus Christ, but the "church" does not love me. There is no place in the local churches for someone like me.
Last night my "wife" listened to Hal Lindsey show and heard him spew hate language towards this bill and towards us. My wife laped it up like a cat would a saucer of milk. I left the room a few times because I could not stand to sit there. After the show was over, she commented, "should I rewind the show so you can see the parts you missed". Like I could miss any of it, the sound was blasting.
I feel like I am being pushed into a corner from which there is no escape. I am slowly losing the strength to continue to fight back.
Sarah L.
Bush is going to Veto this anyhow. So ....its a small victory.
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/may/07050302.html
We need protection on our jobs. Not more protection against being murdered or beaten. There are plenty of laws in place making those things illegal. I'd rather be safe at my job.....If I have a place to work I wont be out in the danger zone.
HR1592 doesnt make any sense to me at all. We need ENDA.
Just noted the vid, thanks Susan! :)
The Hoyer speech was fantastic, it literally made me cry when I read it. If only more people in this country had such an open mind.
A small victory is still a victory...
And the passing of the bill proves that the majority of the congress has already shown they are in support of us as AMERICANS and not just "queers." If bush vetoes the bill, I could care less, because it will only prove that much more of a right wing, hypocritical bigot that he is... I highly doubt the next time the bill comes around (if it does get vetoed) that it would get vetoed again.
Now, I am just waiting on equal rights for us at work and for medical care....
I think I may be a bit premature in wishing for this... But, the bill I would like to see passed more than any other is one that would allow people in the military to be out. I guess because the love of my life, my fiance, is in the military and is going BACK to Iraq again soon... I pray to God every day for his safety so that I can see him again. Now if he is good enough to die for this country's, or for any country's, freedom, I will never understand why He and any other Soldier cannot simply come home and be proud to be with those they love...
Anyway, I will stop ranting.... :P
~~ Danielle ~~
Quote from: ShyGothGirl on May 14, 2007, 04:30:48 AM
A small victory is still a victory...
And the passing of the bill proves that the majority of the congress has already shown they are in support of us as AMERICANS and not just "queers." If bush vetoes the bill, I could care less, because it will only prove that much more of a right wing, hypocritical bigot that he is... I highly doubt the next time the bill comes around (if it does get vetoed) that it would get vetoed again.
Now, I am just waiting on equal rights for us at work and for medical care....
I think I may be a bit premature in wishing for this... But, the bill I would like to see passed more than any other is one that would allow people in the military to be out. I guess because the love of my life, my fiance, is in the military and is going BACK to Iraq again soon... I pray to God every day for his safety so that I can see him again. Now if he is good enough to die for this country's, or for any country's, freedom, I will never understand why He and any other Soldier cannot simply come home and be proud to be with those they love...
Anyway, I will stop ranting.... :P
~~ Danielle ~~
Well this would be nice if it sticks. But, if anybody were to hurt my girl. Say kill her. I would make certain they wouldn't make it to trial. :laugh:
Quote from: Sarah Louise on May 07, 2007, 09:39:37 AM
Do laws really protect, I am not sure.
I am particularily discouraged today. I am a Christian, I love God and Jesus Christ, but the "church" does not love me. There is no place in the local churches for someone like me.
Last night my "wife" listened to Hal Lindsey show and heard him spew hate language towards this bill and towards us. My wife laped it up like a cat would a saucer of milk. I left the room a few times because I could not stand to sit there. After the show was over, she commented, "should I rewind the show so you can see the parts you missed". Like I could miss any of it, the sound was blasting.
I feel like I am being pushed into a corner from which there is no escape. I am slowly losing the strength to continue to fight back.
Sarah L.
Are you feeling better, Sarah? I don't know if I missed a thread somewhere, but, if you'd like to, we can start one to maybe help you feel a little better.
Love,
Rebecca
Thank you Rebecca.
Some days are worse than others, my "wife" (roommate or whatever anyone wants to call her) uses "religion" like a weapon just like so many pastors do. They seem to miss the real meaning of the Bible and just use individual sentences to support their twisted views.
Sarah L.
That's a shame, Sarah.
Maybe you can do the same for her by quoting lines from a source that you find inspiring. Please take care of yourself.
Rebecca