Hate crime law attached to military spending bill!!!!!

[JJFlash]

There are already laws on the books against murder, assault etc. It protects all citizens not just some minority group. whey should they have laws above and beyond the majority. Killing anyone last time I checked did not mean you loved them. Is a homosexual that is murdered better than me, a white protestant heterosexual just because he has been honored with some minority status by big brother. I think not.

Well said. I look forward in a very few years to enjoying minority protection status myself as a white, heterosexual taxpayer.

[ronwill]

There are already laws on the books against murder, assault etc. It protects all citizens not just some minority group. whey should they have laws above and beyond the majority. Killing anyone last time I checked did not mean you loved them. Is a homosexual that is murdered better than me, a white protestant heterosexual just because he has been honored with some minority status by big brother. I think not.

I completely agree, murder is murder. Anyone murdered, whether or not it's because of their race (this includes white) or sexual orientation should be treated the same. What if a state decides not to pursue a case because of a prejudicial court system? This has happened in the past, less frequently now though. This law allows the feds to step in and bring the case to trial. If the state brings the case to trial the feds should stay out of it. It would then be a standard murder trial with punishment according to their jurisdiction. Remember, though, that many states have hate related crime statutes on the books. It's not just a federal issue. See the following:

http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/provisions.asp

[festus]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Trumpeting a victory against careless spending, President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed a defense bill that kills some costly weapons projects and expands war efforts. In a major civil rights change, the law also makes it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation.
My Way News - Obama inks defense bill with hate crimes provision
The $680 billion bill authorizes spending but doesn't provide any actual dollars. Rather, it sets guidance that is typically followed by congressional committees that decide appropriations. Obama hailed it as a step toward ending needless military spending that he called "an affront to the American people and to our troops."

Still, the president did not win every fiscal fight. He acknowledged he was putting his name to a bill that still had waste.

The measure expands current hate crimes law to include violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. To assure its passage after years of frustrated efforts, Democratic supporters attached the measure to the must-pass defense policy bill over the steep objections of many Republicans.

(AP) President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, waves after signing the National...
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The White House put most of its focus on what the bill does contain: project after project that Obama billed as unneeded. The bill terminates production of the F-22 fighter jet program, which has its origins in the Cold War era and, its critics maintain, is poorly suited for anti-insurgent battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates targeted certain projects for elimination, putting them at odds with some lawmakers. The same spending items deemed unnecessary or outdated by Pentagon officials can mean lost jobs and political fallout for lawmakers back in their home districts.

"When Secretary Gates and I first proposed going after some of these wasteful projects, there were a lot of people who didn't think it was possible, who were certain we were going to lose, who were certain that we were going to get steamrolled," Obama said. "Today, we have proven them wrong."

In another of several examples, the legislation terminates the replacement helicopter program for the president's own fleet. That program is six years behind schedule and estimated costs have doubled to more than $13 billion.

Yet the legislation still contains an effort by lawmakers to continue development - over the president's strong objections - of a costly alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Air Force's fighter of the future. A vague White House veto threat about that never came to fruition.

(AP) President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrive in the East room of the White...
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"There's still more fights that we need to win," Obama said. "Changing the culture in Washington will take time and sustained effort."

Obama signed the bill in the East Room, adding some fanfare to draw attention to his message of fiscal responsibility and support for the military.

He spoke more personally about the new civil rights protections. A priority of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., that had been on the congressional agenda for a decade, the measure is named for Matthew Shepard, the gay Wyoming college student murdered 11 years ago.

Obama acknowledged Shepard's mom, Judy, and remembered that he had told her this day would come. He also gave a nod to Kennedy's family. Going forward, Obama promised, people will be protected from violence based on "what they look like, who they love, how they pray or why they are."

"This is a landmark step in eliminating the kind of hate motivated violence that has taken the lives of so many in our community," said Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The expansion has long been sought by civil rights and gay rights groups. Conservatives have opposed it, arguing that it creates a special class of victims. They also have been concerned that it could silence clergymen or others opposed to homosexuality on religious or philosophical grounds.

On the military front, the legislation approves Obama's $130 billion request as the latest installment of money toward the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The far-reaching law also prohibits the Obama administration from transferring any detainee being held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba to the U.S. for trial until 45 days after it has given notice to Congress. Guantanamo prisoners could not be released into the U.S.

[g30sheepdog]

This would be a good time and place to attach the nationwide CCW bill.

I agree. Ive read about a gay pro-gun group that I think was talking about the same idea reguarding national ccw reciprication. I think they call themselves the "Pink Pistols". Im a huge supporter of national ccw reciprication and I have been trying to keep up on the latest efforts to make that happen.

Does anybody know when another attempt will be made at that?

We came close in July.

[melloyello]

Here is my humble opinion..
Hate Crimes are B.S. and here is why..
If I beat up someone, it is assault and battery.. It has a established penalty to it.
If I beat up someone because they are gay or black or just a AHole - it is assault and battery.. It has an established penalty to it..
Should my penalty be more if I beat up a black person than just an AHole??
How about IF I'm thinking the "N" word versus the AHole word while beating someone, is that grounds for more penalty for the 1st over the 2nd.
NO. the penalty should be assault and battery.. everyone that gets beat up is for one reason or another.. but the penalty should fit the crime, not be variable based on what I think the beater was thinking at the time..
This will only lead to stifling free speech and do nothing to better defend the beatee..

This has already been played out in Canada and Free speech is the intent of the legislation..

IMHO

I think your missing the point!

Hate Crime laws takes into account the intention of the crime not the act.
We already have local/state laws against the physical criminal act.

This is a Federal Law and the Hate Crime Bill punishes criminals for their thoughts.

Haven't you watched "Minority Report"?
Bottom line is that you are arrested before the act is committed.
Therefore the crime is that you would think you'd commit the crime.

Why go after free speech when you can stop it at the source!?!?

Peloski, Reid, Dodd, Frank and Obama are ushering the future of acceptable thoughts!

[ronwill]

This is a Federal Law and the Hate Crime Bill punishes criminals for their thoughts.

Just a question, how does this punish you for your thoughts? As far as I know you can think what ever you want, it's when you put those thoughts into action that you may be held accountable. These laws have been on the books, both federal and state, for many years and only now it seems they have become a bad thing. I think we should focus on things that are genuinely bad, government controlled health care, big government spending, possible anti 2A laws popping up, etc. These are things that should be watched.

[HK4U]

What happens if a minister preaches against the sin of homosexuality and someone hears his sermon. This person not understanding scripture takes it upon himself to launch his own private vendetta against someone. Will the minister be held accountable? Don't bet it will not happen. This could have a very chilling effect on the first amendment. This law is just plain wrong. Period! As I have said before The Rico Act is a good example of how a law can be twisted from what was supposed to be its original intent into something far more insidious. This is just another example of a Federal government out of control.