Senate Passes Hate Crimes Bill; Larry Craig Opposes

  |   September 27, 2007 12:33 PM


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2007-09-27-craigcrime.jpgMoments ago, the Senate voted 60-39 to end debate on the Matthew Shepard Act, which expands federal hate crimes laws to include violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, disability, and other factors. The AP reports:

The Senate attached hate crimes legislation to a must-pass Pentagon spending bill Thursday, but opponents predicted it ultimately would fail.

"The president is not going to agree to this social legislation on the defense authorization bill," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "This bill will get vetoed." [...]

The Democratic-controlled House passed the same hate crimes legislation as a stand-alone bill earlier this year despite Bush's veto threat. That makes a repeat of 2004, when the Senate passed a similar amendment to the same bill only to see it stripped out during negotiations with the Republican-led House, less likely this time around. President Bush, who says the bill is not needed, could then be faced with vetoing the vast defense authorization bill containing the same provision.

The White House had no immediate comment Thursday.

Notably, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) voted against the legislation.

UPDATE: See the full roll call here.

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Craig won one and lost one that day.

Karsnia didn't let him cop a feel.

Karsnia did let him cop a plea.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:32 PM on 09/28/2007
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In an attempt to ensure that minors are not sexually molested by pedophiles, a child protection advocacy group is trying to get the owners of Facebook and other sites to provide monitoring capabilities. One idea is to include icons that could be used by minors when they want to report adults who try to entice them.

Would anyone reject such mechanisms on the grounds that they are unconstitutional attempts to deny a pedophile predator's right to free speech? Most people would praise such efforts as both a deterrent and a protection method.

The age of child molestation victims is the reason why they are targeted for a crime. The motives of the perpetrators are a central part of the crime. That's why there are specific laws determining penalties for child molestation.

So why is it a First Amendment violation to factor in the motives--and the implicating speech--of a hate crime perpetrator when determining penalties? The minority status of hate crime victims is the reason why they are targeted for a crime.

Hate crime laws can deter the perpetrators from acting on their ideas. Such laws also give bigots in law enforcement and the justice system an added incentive to do their jobs when they otherwise might try to ignore or minimize a crime.

Current law determines specific penalties for hate crimes just as they do for child molestation. The motives of the perpetrators are a central part of both kinds of crime.

So we already have decided to punish pedophiles for giving into their urges and raping children. And we already have decided to punish bigots for giving into their urges and doing violence to minorities.

Adding sexual orientation and gender orientation to existing civil rights law is not a violation of First Amendment protection of free speech. Omitting these classes from existing civil rights law is a violation of constitutional equal protection.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:08 PM on 09/28/2007
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The height of hypocrisy

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:56 PM on 09/28/2007

Must be sad to be filled with such self-loathing. The guy is obviously gay, yet he tries so hard to deny it.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:25 PM on 09/28/2007

It is disgusting to see Craig's name anywhere near Matthew Shepard's. Too bad he doesn't take a wide stance look at democracy and basic human rights.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:35 PM on 09/28/2007

This must mean that Craig is a self hating queer, to borrow a euphemism from the Zionist zealots who describe their detractors as "self hating Jews".

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:51 PM on 09/28/2007
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Bad analogy.

Jews who question Israel's policies--or even its establishment in 1948--are the same as a closeted neocon Christofascist hypocrite?

One is about religious and political opinions and CHOICES; the other is about the INVOLUNTARY hard wiring of a person's psyche and self-acceptance.

People choose their religions and political stands, notwithstanding their cultural roots. One makes those decisions based on spirituality and ethics.

People can not choose their sexual orientation or gender orientation. The rejection of either is like severing a limb.

As a Jewish gay man, I don't know which lie I resent more: That Jews can't think independently or that gays have a choice about their sexuality.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:04 PM on 09/28/2007

Love that picture of him on the cover, stooped over with a faintly pained expression in his mug.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:48 PM on 09/28/2007

I am just so sick of this man. Would they just remove his hypocritical ass out of the Senate for Pete's sake!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:39 PM on 09/28/2007
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As Dante said, in the center of Hell you find all the Hypocrits.

May this one perish.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:16 PM on 09/28/2007

These people need a whole new tier in Hell, all their own.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:22 PM on 09/28/2007

I can just imagine the howls of outrage from conservatives if legislation were proposed that would remove religion from the various categories already in federal hate crime law. When the shoe's on the other foot ...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:04 PM on 09/28/2007

if you are against this law on constitutional basis then you must also be against regulating telephone, TV, automobiles, and airplanes which all are also not mentioned in the constitution.

My guess is that those here talking that nonsense are taking a page from the Craig play book and
desperately trying to convince themselves they are not gay

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:37 AM on 09/28/2007

Are you a student of Constitutional law? Are you a lawyer specialising in Constitutional law? In case you haven't noticed, TV, automobiles, and airplanes are regulated. What do any of these have to do with hate crimes?

I've been to Boise, and it's nothing to be proud of. Neither is Craig.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:27 PM on 09/28/2007

I was in your famed airport yesterday Mr. Craig, I made sure to keep my stance narrow.

David

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:31 AM on 09/28/2007

It is time to acknowledge the truth about the right wing

the reason the CONS are so against homosexual advocacy groups is because the CONS engage in the kind of homosexual activity (unprotected sex and drug use with prostitutes, sex in public, inappropriate advances towards minors) that most pro-gay groups actively denounce.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:30 AM on 09/28/2007

Hey Larry Craig,

Fellow self-loathing gay fascist Roy Cohn called from hell. He says the bed's too big without you.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:15 AM on 09/28/2007

Good one, damn!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:29 PM on 09/28/2007

What a pathetic little putz. You'd think he would be hiding under a rock somewhere.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:14 AM on 09/28/2007
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