Comments on: Upcoming Hate Crimes Vote Thursday http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/26/827 News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:03:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Bill Perdue http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/26/827/comment-page-1#comment-2997 Bill Perdue Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:10:57 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/26/827#comment-2997 The Matthew Sheppard Act has its shortcomings; the penalties are not harsh enough to deter hate crimes and they don’t routinely include the politicians and religious fanatics who fan the flames of bigotry and violence. Whatever its weaknesses, though, the bill is urgently needed. The last few weeks have see a marked upturn in harassment and violence against gays and lesbians. This spike is identical to those of 2000 and 2004 and related to the barrage of antigay election rhetoric. During elections Republicans and christian bigots increase the volume of their bigoted attacks on the GLBT communities. The Democrats response, slicker and quieter but no less damaging, says that we don't deserve the right to be married. The combination of Democratic rejection of full equality, Republican scapegoating and christian hatemongering places us in the hazardous position of second class citizenship, of people who don’t deserve equal treatment. That message is heard loud and clear by violence prone thugs. I’m afraid that the upsurge in beatings and even murders means we’re in for rough times again. The Matthew Sheppard Act has its shortcomings; the penalties are not harsh enough to deter hate crimes and they don’t routinely include the politicians and religious fanatics who fan the flames of bigotry and violence. Whatever its weaknesses, though, the bill is urgently needed. The last few weeks have see a marked upturn in harassment and violence against gays and lesbians. This spike is identical to those of 2000 and 2004 and related to the barrage of antigay election rhetoric.

During elections Republicans and christian bigots increase the volume of their bigoted attacks on the GLBT communities. The Democrats response, slicker and quieter but no less damaging, says that we don’t deserve the right to be married. The combination of Democratic rejection of full equality, Republican scapegoating and christian hatemongering places us in the hazardous position of second class citizenship, of people who don’t deserve equal treatment.

That message is heard loud and clear by violence prone thugs. I’m afraid that the upsurge in beatings and even murders means we’re in for rough times again.

]]> By: Skip http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/26/827/comment-page-1#comment-2989 Skip Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:54:21 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/09/26/827#comment-2989 Will this be as an amendment to another bill? Do you know which one? Will this be as an amendment to another bill? Do you know which one?

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