Posted on 10/29/2009 12:13:03 AM PDT by kingattax
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation, a milestone that activists compared to the passage of 1960s civil rights legislation empowering blacks.
The new law adds acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to the list of federal hate crimes. Gay rights activists voiced hope that the Obama administration would advance more issues, including legislation to bar workplace discrimination, allow military service and recognize same-sex marriages.
Congress passed the hate crimes protections as an unlikely amendment to this year's Defense Authorization Act. Obama, speaking at an emotional evening reception with supporters of the legislation, said that more than 12,000 hate crimes had been reported the past decade based on sexual orientation.
He spoke of President Lyndon Johnson signing protections for blacks in the 1960s and said this was an extension of that work. "We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones but to break spirits," Obama said. "No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
This law is not major, it is just symbolism. The fed is not going to be prosecuting many of these cases, if any. Almost all violent acts is done by the states, and truth be told, there is not many of these anti-gay attacks. 10 years later, Matthew Shepard is still the poster child because these types of acts are so rare.
“0bama signs first major federal gay rights law.”
While the rest of the world, especially China, Russia, and Iran, are girding their loins, 0bama is...well, I won’t go there.
Can anyone point me to the Constitutional authority for enacting such legislation? My quick scan of Article I, Section 8 reveals no power in which Congress could pass this legislation. But then again, silly me I still assume the Constitution actually means something.
Vince
Just my opinion, based on how he acts along with other stories I have read about his childhood/college days.
Again, just my opinion.
The way zerO cocks his leg? A dead give away.
He's a Nancy boy if ever there were. LOL
Holy mackerel. No words are necessary.
Now this is a priority to waste time on ........sigh
Just great, more wonderful stimulation from the best president Chicago could buy.
What exactly is a “Hate crime” anyway? It’s the stupidest term, because it implies that other crimes are “love crimes...”
Yes ,,,, and he named the law after LARRY SINCLAIR to insure that no one would cause him harm .
And Matthew Shepherd was not killed for being gay. This is the “big lie” that is told over and over about his case. The goons who killed him did not target him for attack for being gay. He just makes a convenient symbol for the gay groups to use.
Well, I don’t believe our diplomats always get treated as they should, but I do believe it could be much worse if we did away with this policy.
There are instances when they aren’t treated well, but those are isolated IMO.
We agree on the rest.
I think that’s a great idea.
Let’s pick the biggest hell hole on the planet, and move the U.N. there. After all, all societies are equal. Podunk Somalia would be as good a place as any.
And as we’ve seen U.N. workers in Chad show their true colors, just think of the dates those U.N. workers could get.
The U.S. puts a ton of money into the UN but the financial costs pale in comparison to the expense to our political position in the world and to our sovereignty. The UN is a driving force behind disunity and conflict in the world not peace and harmony IMO.
The UN is a driving force behind disunity and conflict in the world not peace and harmony
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