U.S Senate passes Hate Crime Bill!!

The Democratic-Control Senate passed the hate crimes bill as an amendment to the Defense bill for the Iraq War. In a 60-39 vote to proceed to adoption, the Senate approved Senator Kennedy's amendment which adds sexual orientation, gender identity and disability to the existing hate crimes legislation.

Democrats in their 51 majority supported the bill. Only 9 Republicans move across the line to support the amendment.

John Warner
Richard Lugar
Susan Collins
Olympia Snowe
George Voinovich
Arlen Specter
Judd Gregg
Norm Coleman
Gordon Smith (co-sponsor)

Also the two hypocritical GOP who didn't vote are:Toe Tapping Sen. Larry Craig, and Adulter Sen. Dave Vitter.

HRC's President Joe Solmonese said the following:

For over a decade our community has worked tirelessly to ensure protections to combat violence motivated by hate and today we are the closest we have ever been to seeing that become a reality. Congress has taken an historic step forward and moved our country closer to the realization that all Americans, including the GLBT community, are part of the fabric of our nation. The new leadership in Congress fully understands that for too long our community has been terrorized by hate violence. And today, the US Senate has sent a clear message to every corner of our country that we will no longer turn a blind eye to anti-gay violence in America.

Justice MH: Bush may veto this bill. However, we'll just keeping trying again, again, and again. Eventually it will become law! You have lose some to win some!

U.S Senate expected to vote on Hate Crimes Bill this Thursday!!!

The time is here. The slim Democratic-control Senate is expected to vote on S. 1105-Matthew Shepard Act. Chris Johnson at HRC Back Story reports that Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) filed a cloture motion to force a vote on S. 1105.We need 60 votes in order to override the objection filed by Sen.John MCcain.The hate crimes bill was tacked onto the defense authorization bill to get it pass our misguided controlled President Bush.

Lead sponsor of the Senate bill, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) released a statement of his floor speech urging passage of S. 1105. I would like to note here that there are Republicans supporting this bill, not just Democrats.

As we prepare for a showdown over this bill, expect the scare tactics and nonsense from the so-called oppress Christians, who fear their rights are being taken aways.
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is at it again with the nonsense (where was he and his black bigoted Friends at on free Jena 6 march?). Read his latest quotes on the hate crimes bill in a bearing false witness tone/words:

A black conservative leader is calling on Christians to contact their U.S. senators and ask them to vote against a bill that would give special rights to homosexuals and take away the rights of Christians.

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is founder and president of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (BOND). Peterson was recently in Washington, DC, to lobby senators to vote against Senate Bill 1105 -- a bill that would provide federal assistance for the prosecution of any crime that is "motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim." The legislation is sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts).

According to Peterson, if S.B. 1105 ultimately passes, it would greatly affect Christians' free-speech rights. For example, Peterson contends that under the new provisions, Christian pastors could be forced to perform same-sex "marriages" -- and if they refuse, Petersen is convinced they will be criminalized and fined.

Now he know he sound like a drama queen, and a lieing one at that. There many racist christian groups and white supremacist groups that still have their free speech and rights. They march in parades, and register their groups. So where is he getting this from? He has presented no where in the bill where their rights's of speech is objected.

Justice MH: These are the type of blacks, white Evangelical conservative Christians love to use for their agenda. Sylvia Rhue of the National Black Justice Coalition and Cornel West have a piece in the Boston Globe that shows how hate can be disguise in a religious sheet of hypocrisy and lies:

Unfortunately, some clergy across the nation have joined together to oppose this bill in an aggressive and divisive manner. For instance, conservative African-American leaders - most notably Bishop Harry Jackson of Maryland's Hope Christian Church - have been inundating the media and faith communities with the message that this legislation will allow police to storm into worship services and arrest clergy if they speak against being gay. They make the incendiary allegation that the bill will create "thought crimes" by punishing people for thinking ill of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

The truth is that the Matthew Shepard Act protects all First Amendment rights. And, although that is a given, this bill goes out of its way to protect the free speech of ministers. Those pastors who wish to continue condemning and dehumanizing the gay community will be free to do so.

The hate crimes bill provides resources for the investigation of violent actions - not beliefs, thoughts, or words. The proposed federal statute does not punish nor prohibit free expression of one's religious beliefs. As University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey R. Stone recently concluded, "The argument of the pastors that the proposed legislation in any way threatens their right to preach their version of the Gospel is, to be frank, ridiculous."

...These preachers don't care to hear the thousands of stories of lives and communities scarred by antigay violence. And, conveniently, those who bring up the reality that the Matthew Shepard Act is a constitutional and important means to prevent antigay violence are labeled by these clergy as "anti-Christian." The good intentions of this legislation have been greeted by malice by these manipulators of fact.
The efforts of antigay preachers and their supporters is not the way to create the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a "Beloved Community" - where we all strive to treat each other with respect and compassion.

Justice MH: If they can e-mail, and fax their Senators up to the nose, then so can we.Call the Capital switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and tell your Senator to help pass this important bill. Final Note: If we don't get the bill pass in the Senate, then we'll just keep trying again, again, and again. Eventually it will pass, most likely this time or next time. We have all the cards, let's just hope they play out correctly!

Doing God's Work???

And they want to say this hate crimes bill is unnecessary. Yeah right!Tell that to the family of Kenneth Cummings Jr., a Southwest flight attendant, who was killed by a man who believed he was doing God's work. Religion creates some crazy people, but that's religion for you, when there's no reason! {Houston Chronicle}:

"I believe I'm Elijah, called by God to be a prophet," said 26-year-old Terry Mark Mangum, charged with murder June 11. " ... I believe with all my heart that I was doing the right thing."
Interviewed in the Brazoria County Jail Saturday morning, Mangum said he feels no remorse for killing 46-year-old Kenneth Cummings Jr., whom relatives described as a "loving" son who never forgot a holiday and a devoted uncle who had set up college funds for his niece and nephew. He worked at Southwest for 24 years.

Mangum, who described himself as "definitely not a homosexual," said God called on him to "carry out a code of retribution" by killing a gay man because "sexual perversion" is the "worst sin."

Mangum believed Cummings to be gay.

"I planned on sending him to hell," he said.

Cummings was stabbed with a six-inch blade, his body was found near San Antonio on property owned by Mangum's grandfather.

While there are some who are debating about whether there should be hate crimes law, the fact is their on the books. So why not sexual orientation and gender identity to make sure every American is protected by bias hate crimes. Religion is already included-- protection which these cafeteria Christians aren't willing to give up. After all religion is a choice!

Furthermore, it's the religious extremists who claim to be "christian", by their mouths, but it always seems their hearts are far away from God. Isaiah and Jesus said something like that. The usual suspects are no surprise--the Traditional Values Coalition, the American Family Association, Concerned Women for America and the rest of the professional persecuted "Christian" set-- who just love to hide behind and use misguided homo-hating black pastors.


Rustin Thomas came up with this insane statement:
Yes, I dare state that there is a direct connection between the sins and crimes of abortion and the sodomite agenda and the Islamic terrorism that threatens our nation."

Once again sodomite is NOT a biblical term, and I have never been to Sodom and Gomorrah. The two cities God supposedly destroyed.

Another black puppet was brought out as expected.Here's Rev. Johnny Hunter of the Life Education and Resource Network:

"Pastors not only have a right, but they have an obligation to state emphatically that according to scripture, a man or a woman should not perform a sex act with a person of the same sex...nor with a dog...nor with a snake...nor with a hamster or any other creature."

How the hell he bring humans in with animals? Who would have sex with hamster, snake, or dog? I have heard of a dog before, but that's just freaky! Eww.

They know that they can quote and take Leviticus and Romans out context all day long if the measure is passed. The ACLU has outlined how free speech will be protected, but no that doesn't matter in their minds. Is this Doing God's Work? Ha, You better ask somebody!

[more updates to come-Justice MH]

Pro-LGBT Black Clergy Ad tells the Truth about Federal Hate Crimes Legislation!!!

In response to the ads run by anti-gay black ministers fronted by Bishop Harry Jackson of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, which appeated in USA Today spreading disinformation about the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a group of pro-LGBT pastors have responded in kind.

In a new ad appearing in USA Today, the National Black Justice Coalition, Human Rights Campaign and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, black religious leaders counter the claim of the puppets/uncle toms of the white evangelical/conservative bigots, that the passage of the measure would muzzle pastors like Jackson from spouting homophobic sermons from the pulpit.

Bishop Jackson clearly thinks gays are taking over as he expressed those feeling in his Town Hall article:

G]ay activists around the country are getting nervous that they are about to experience an embarrassing political setback. Instead of amending the hate crimes legislation that protects churches in a substantive way, they are simply crying out in a louder, more threatening manner. Gay advocates are not looking for fairness; they are looking for an upper hand.

A recent Gallup poll showed that 68% of Americans support adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the existing hate crimes laws, this is the kind of misinformation that Harry Jackson and his homo-hating friends in the pulpit give us:

Justice MH: As Bishop Carlton Pearson said: the bill clearly states,"Nothing in this act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses the First Amendment to the Constitution" the hate crime bill says. Unfortunately, free speech, and the bible is NOT the real reason they oppose the expansion of the federal hate crimes statue. These black bigots put a new meaning to "bearing false witness", and they know their free speech is NOT threaten. The real reason they oppose this bill, in my opinion, is that the more pro-LGBT bills pass on the federal level than sooner or later it will not be popular to hate and oppose a minority's rights. It's like i said countless times on this blog, you have the right to free speech, but NOT the right to limit other American citizen's rights.

Breaking News: U.S Senate to vote on Hate crimes Bill Tonight?

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) offered the Senate hate crimes bill, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, as an amendment to the Department of Defense Reauthorization bill currently being debated on the Senate floor. The House of Representatives version of the bill passed with strong bipartisan support on May 3. The Senate bill, S. 1105, could be voted on as early as today.

The right wing is in high gear on Capitol Hill today to fight the bill's passage and Senate leaders need to hear strong - and repeated - messages of support for the hate crimes bill from our side.

My question is: Is this about free speech or about denying those on basis of sexual orientation, gender identity/disability to be protected on the federal hate crimes level?

The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act clearly says it uphold the first amendment to protect and strengthen free speech including religious speech.
So I'm hoping the U.S Senators vote with strong bi-partisan, and send the bill to be sign by Bush. I'll have more updates on this as they become available.

Call your senators ASAP at 202/224-3121 and urge them to vote in favor of the Matthew Shepard Act, S. 1105.