The HRC and I encourage you to urge your Senator to vote for the Matthew Shepard Act (S. 909). As the HRC states, hate crimes against LGBT people are on the rise, one out of every six hate crimes is because of the victim’s sexual orientation, and hate crimes are intended to create an atmosphere of fear and terrorize entire communities. Oklahomans–Sen. James ‘Jim’ M. Inhofe (202) 224-4721 and Sen. Tom A. Coburn (202) 224-5754 before 5 p.m. ET.
Contact Coburn via email by clicking here.
Contact Inhofe via email by clicking here.
According to information on wikipedia.org, “The Matthew Shepard Act (officially, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act or LLEHCPA), is a proposed bill in the United States Congress that would expand the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
The bill would also:
- remove the current prerequisite that the victim be engaging in a federally-protected activity, like voting or going to school;
- give federal authorities greater ability to engage in hate crimes investigations that local authorities choose not to pursue;
- provide $10 million in funding for 2008 and 2009 to help state and local agencies pay for investigating and prosecuting hate crimes;
- require the FBI to track statistics on hate crimes against transgender people (statistics for the other groups are already tracked).” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_Act)
The Act (HR 1913) passed in the House, and S. 909, introduced to the Senate in late April of this year, is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Coburn is a member of this committee.
Oklahoma’s Senators are notoriously unsupportive (a.k.a. uncaring and intolerant) when it comes to LGBT rights. Let’s show them that their constituents WANT CHANGE and SUPPORT LOVE! Both Inhofe and Coburn were rated 0% by the HRC on gay rights in 2006, and their positions haven’t changed. If you want to know more about the stances they take, visit OnTheIssues.org, Every Political Leader on Every Issue.
Love and peace,
Beamish
July 15, 2009 at 8:25 am
Thanks, Beamish, for making it so easy. Why must we be cursed with these two guys?
July 15, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Do any of you feel that some who argue certain people are intolerant of LGBT, that those who are LGBT are intolerant of religious people?
July 16, 2009 at 8:54 am
Mike C.- I see what you’re saying, but the fact is that the LGBT community hasn’t historically held political power nor has the LGBT community ever withheld rights (or privileges) from any religious group.
July 16, 2009 at 11:02 am
Mike C., no, i do not think that is so. UNLESS you add a qualifier to the phrase “religious people,” like “who are hypocrites,” “who are bigots,” “who are racist,” “who are sexist,” “who promote hate,” etc. i myself am intolerant of any religious group that promotes bigotry and prejudice instead of promoting compassion and unity.
July 16, 2009 at 11:11 am
Mike C., also wanted to say that you brought us to the issue that is actually at heart when politicians debate LGBT issues: FREEDOM OF RELIGION. conservatives like sens. coburn and inhofe have no basis from keeping the LGBT-identified population oppressed and unequal in the eyes of the law other than their religious beliefs. the U.S. is not a christian nation, nor is it a nation with any national religion. the first amendment* says so. conservatives like coburn and inhofe (and OK rep. sally kern) who want to make laws based on the “authority” of the bible need to think twice about how “american” their actions really are.
*”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
August 2, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Thank you all for your honest and non-argumentative responses. I disagree that the US is not a Christian nation in the sense that we were founded on Judeo-Christian principals. there is much in the Constitution based on Biblical principal (such as the separation of powers being based on God as judge, lawmaker, and king in Isaiah 33:22. Of course, there is also that all men are created equal)
The idea behind separation of church and state (found in Ben Franklin’s letters and not in the Constitution) is based on the idea that the Federal govt. should not establish a national religion, though I think, and I may be mistaken on this, that some states had their own religion in the early days of our country. Thus, the quote that “Congress shall make no law…” is accurate indeed. But, I think religion can (not necessarily should) play a role in establishing laws since it did during our founding; there is precedence for it.
I suppose one could argue that we will in different times today, but while opinions and the times may change, God doesn’t. And herein lies my main point. God loves everyone equally, which includes gay, lesbian, straight, black, white, bankers, artists, etc. Each of us is just as sinful and broken as the next person. I know for a fact that the church has totally used LGBT as an easy target, and that should not be. I’m glad to say I go to a church that doesn’t do that nor have I, at least on a regular basis. Anyway, thanks for letting me go on. I am an actor, and do have some LGBT friends, but I don’t often get to hear that side of the argument. It’s much appreciated.
Mike C.
July 17, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Good news and bad news
July 18, 2009 at 1:01 am
thanks for the update, thewhatifgirl!