On January 26, 2012 I wrote an article about a bill which would exempt bullying based on religion. The first attempted legislation was filed under House Bill 1153 and Senate Bill 0760. The father of Matthew Shephard, who commited suicide after being bullied about being gay, had criticised such laws as the legitimization of hate speech. These bills would exempt bullying if the person doing the bullying was doing so "because of sincerely held religious beliefs." In other words, if kids harrassing a gay child were doing so because their religion told them to then it is OK.
One day after Matthew Shephard's father had spoken to Congress about the bill it was reintroduced again. Instead of letting the old bills die and pass into the realm of bad legislation the Tennessee congress actually made a new bill.
This bill was reintroduced on Thursday January 26, 2012 by Tennessee Senator Jim Summerville. The new bill is called SB 3393.
The reintroduction of the bill makes it even more important to make our voices heard. We cannot allow there to be loopholes to allow bullying based on religious views. I love Tennessee, but the increasing hatred towards people of different sexualities is making me want to leave. I know that I am not the only one. If we don't speak up and let our presence be known then this will become an even more dangerous place for people to live.
Please contact your senators and representatives. Let them know that hatred cannot be protected and defended.
Senator Jim Summerville, who brought the bill back, can be reached by phone at (615) 741-4499 and email at Sen.Jim.Summerville@capitol.tn.gov
You can also contact your local congressman. The contact information for the the Tennessee Congress members is available at Tennessee General Assembly: Legislators.
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