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Today, legislators in the House of Representatives are pushing for a "discharge petition" to force a vote on the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2001, (LLEHCPA), H.R. 1343, another federal Hate Crimes bill that would add "sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability" to current hate crimes law. Introduced by Reps. John Conyers (D-MI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), this one has more than 100 cosponsors. LLEHCPA would authorize the Justice Department to conduct local law enforcement hate crimes training, and to conduct expanded hate crimes investigations and prosecutions.

This legislation will ban alleged discrimination based on sexual orientation, whether actual or perceived, as well as "gender," which include the categories of transgender, cross-dresser, or transvestite. To be clear, I do not advocate denying the natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to any person solely on the basis of their bad habits. However, neither do I advocate encouraging or sanctioning bad habits which impede persons in their reasonable and moral use of those rights.

He needs to define bad habits for me. Being TG is not a bad habit on its own. It requires others to violate my life, liberty, and property for it to be bad. Just as my atheist views are not bad habits on their own without doing the same as stated prior to my person. Idiots like these don't know what bad and good mean, they just think whatever society throws at them is a-okay.

-- Bridget

They do too know what bad and good are.... but do we know how there interpurting<sp?>  it?

Bad: What ever they dont like or care to understand that your doing
Good: What ever there doing weather you like or understand it or not....

Wow...

I really thought from the headline that it was a piece about how those not 'mainstream' (LGBT) were being denied 'freedom for all'.  Boy, was I wrong...


Karen

I submitted a response that I hope will be posted:

-----------------

Okay, here I am folks. I am one of those for which this legislation is written. I am not gay. But I did have gender reassignment many years ago. For years, I have lived in the shadows, terrified that I would be beaten, murdered, raped, or any one of numerous other heinous acts. During my transition, I was raped, spit upon, called names, followed, and chastised. No, I do not push an agenda.  I hide in your midst, only wanting the same rights that anyone else has.

There are many places in this country where I can legally be denied health care. Many states forbid me to marry anyone of either gender. I can be harrassed, ridiculed, and molested with no legal recourse.

I want to be able to get health care. I want to collect my social security. I want to marry. I want to be able to live my life without fear.

I continue to live a normal life in your midst as a woman. You will see me and never think of what my past may have been. You will see me on the street and say hi. You will open the door for me at the supermarket. I will smile and thank you. I will bring your family dinner when your wife is in the hospital. I will sit next to you in church. You will treat me as any other person. Would you treat me any different knowing my past?

These laws help move us to protect life and liberty for all people... not just those who agree with those who are religious Christians. It is good that we protect basic rights for everyone. After all, isn't that what Christ would do?

Cindi Jones

Cindi;

It was posted.  Michael responded.  No freedom for you!

QuoteResponse from : Michael Craven     

April 3, 2007 8:46 AM

Dear Cindi,

Thank you for taking the time to share your story. While I sympathize with your plight, this legislation does not offer you any additional protection over and above that already provided under the laws of the United States. Neither are the criminal acts which you describe limited to persons in your situation. They are caused by the sinful acts of those perpetrators and the prevailing laws are put in place to punish said acts in order to achieve justice. The same moral system that condemns these heinous acts of violence also condemns homosexual acts. Morality is not an arbitrarily determined set of values that follow cultural trends but a universally understood system that conforms to nature and the reality of human experience. Our outrage (sense of justice) in response to these acts of violence is not some freakish quirk in an impersonal universe but reflect the character and laws of God. These acts are wrong (always) because they violate the Creator's character. This is also true of human sexuality; there is a true and correct expression of sex and thus there are moral limitations to what is permissible. This is evidenced by the consequences which result when these limits are violated and they conform to the limitations imposed by God. In every instance, violation of these principles causes harm to individuals and the society in which they reside. Therefore, it is precisely because of compassion that we press for moral restraint.

Cindi, I cannot begin to understand your personal struggles or the suffering you have endured and I do not condemn you as a person. You are a human being made in the image of God and you are precious to the point that He became flesh, suffered and died, in order to satisfy His righteous judgment (justice) against you (and me) for our rebellion against His rightful authority in our lives. If God were not the final word on justice then there could be no justice whatsoever in the world and men would be free to do whatever they wanted and we would be utterly without hope. Injustice would surely prevail. However, God's justice requires that we turn from our willful independence (sin) and follow Christ.

The goal of God's act of redemption and His continuing work in the world is the restoration of fellowship with Him and each other. It is sin that has broken this fellowship and created all of the conditions you have described including your own sorrow and suffering. We all suffer from our own sin as well as the sin of others and this is the great tragedy from which we need rescue. This is what Christ, out of love, came to do, but that does mean we can continue to make our own rules and live in our own way. His offer is simple: "repent and follow Me..."

Again, thank you for sharing and I am truly sorry for your sorrow and suffering.

Michael

Karen

QuoteMorality is not an arbitrarily determined set of values that follow cultural trends but a universally understood system that conforms to nature and the reality of human experience.

So the Mayans and the Incas had the same exact morality that we do?  And no matter where one travels in the world, everyone will have the same view on morality?

I really dislike having to say this but this guy just might not be the sharpest tool in the shed.

Morality is universal, but the person in question does not grasp that morality does not enslave one person to another. It's suppose to free all humans from the expectation of violence toward one and other. Thus, it is suppose to grant liberty from violence of all kinds. Whether it's the violence of murder, the violence of theft, or the violence of fraud. Too bad most people don't grasp this point, otherwise there wouldn't be stupid complaints about gender identity protection under the law.

-- Brede

I find it interesting that there were no further responses after I basically told them I was in their midst and they would NEVER know!  <grin>

Cindi

This guy sound like somebody who would blame a rape victim because they dressed in an "immoral" way and this was merely a consequence of the victim dressing in such a way.

Melissa