"Love conquers hate": inclusive hate crimes statute passes

October 23, 1:45 PMBirmingham Gay Community ExaminerJoe Openshaw

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Yesterday the U. S. Senate voted 64 to 35 to end debate and soon after they voted 68 to 29 to pass the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  The bill is headed for the president's desk and makes history as it is the first civil rights law that applies to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

"Dennis and I are extremely proud of the Senate for once again passing this historic measure of protection for victims of these brutal crimes,” said Judy Shepard, president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation Board. “Knowing that the president will sign it, unlike his predecessor, has made all the hard work this year to pass it worthwhile. Hate crimes continue to affect far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly, and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence, and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families.”

Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998 in an anti-gay hate crime and   James Byrd, Jr., an African-American, was dragged to death behind a truck in another notorious hate crime because of his race that same year in Texas.

Wingnuts are already denouncing the law by calling it the Pedophile Protection Act, and claiming that it is the first step toward silencing Christians.

"I can’t wait until the first pink tutu wearing gay opens fire on a Pastor’s sermon," proclaims Free Republic.

"This would be the very first governmental and societal disapproval of a sincerely held religious belief, held by a majority of Americans, namely that homosexual behavior is immoral," and that eventually "there will be a shock wave through pastorates in America" as a result.

Both senators from Alabama, Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, voted no on the bill, as they did previously in the day on the cloture motion to end debate.  The entire bevy of Republican senators from the south voted against it, except for the two republicans from Texas, James Byrd, Jr., home state.  A handful of republicans from other states voted for the bill.

For those who voted no, it must mean that they hate gays and transgender people more than they love our soldiers, because this vote also was for Defense funding.

The really exciting thing about this law is that it is inclusive.  Transgender people are disproportionately targeted for bias related violence.  Read the statement from the National Center for Transgender Equality. 

In this video, Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother, urges support for the measure after waiting 10 years.  But, as the video points out, her wait is over.

 More information:  National Center for Transgender Equality, Love Conquers Hate