Hate Crime Legislation signed by President Obama

"We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones but to break spirits. No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love." ~President Barack Obama

WASHINGTON -- Today at the White House, President Barack Obama 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.

The amendment was named partly for Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming who died after a 1998 savage beating targeting him because he was gay, and whose parents were instrumental in leading the fight for such legislation, and also named for James Byrd Jr., a black Texas man dragged to his death in a racially motivated killing the same year.

Matthew Shepard's parents joined Obama for the bill signing, as did the family of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy who was deeply involved in pushing the legislation prior to his death in August.

Judy Shepard issued a statement saying that she and her husband, Dennis, "are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly."

She also called on Americans to look beyond legislation and work in their own lives to advance acceptance of gays.

~Linda

Marriage Equality Movement, Gay Marriage in CA

I was shocked to see that Proposition 8 passed here in CA, especially after we were inundated with a religious backed, (mainly Mormon, partly Knights of Columbus) commercial of falsehoods and scare tactics. Here locally in Northern CA it must have played every hour or two, and I got where I gritted my teeth each time I heard it.

It so happens that Proposition 8 was not about politics, not about taxpayers money, No. Proposition 8 was about equality, civil rights, and love. Why should anyone care that another chooses to marry–to join in love with another soul–and call the commitment marriage?

We’ve come a long way in our country in regards to civil rights, bigotry, and prejudices, ie., electing a black man by a landslide to our highest office, a man of vision, of humanity, intelligence, and a man with ideals to do good for our country and our place in the world.

Yet, apparently many who cast their vote for Obama here in CA, also cast a vote for Proposition 8. I am left wondering if they actually read the Proposition, or were taken in by the enormous amount of money that was used to advertise falsehoods of the Vote Yes on 8 group, nothing more than a religious agenda to take away rights.

There is now a grassroots movement, and legal moves, to cancel out this Yes vote, and even Governor Arnold... has spoken out to his surprise that it passed. This vote to change the state constitution will be defeated, and it sounds as if the recent legal marriages of gay couples that have take place will be valid.

I just saw the article reporting gay marriages are now taking place in Conn. Good for them.

I suppose it will just take a little more time for gay rights to be in full force, but it will happen. It will happen in much the same way as acceptance of interracial marriage and equality of races. We are a diverse country and those who find it offensive should save their worry and just get used to it. Everyone deserves equal rights, and it makes for a better place.

If you are interested in seeing what you can do to restore Marriage Equality and repeal Proposition 8, check out this link and group: http://www.couragecampaign.org/

Keith Olbermann said it well last night on Countdown:



~Linda