Front Page: Congress Passes Matthew Shepard Hate-Crime Bill

October 23, 2009

by POPSUGAR Sex & Culture 45

Congress has passed a bill making violence against LGBT Americans a hate crime. The bill named after Matthew Shepard is now headed to the White House for signature. — LA Times
Roman Polanski is one step closer to being extradited to the US. — AP
The FAA is investigating whether fatigue caused two Northwest Airlines pilots to overshoot the airport by 150 miles earlier this week. — New York Times
Significantly more Americans now doubt global warming. — The Guardian
Fox News founder Roger Ailes is being encourage to run for president in 2012. — Politico

Source: Getty

45 Comments

uswgo 3 years 30 weeks

This is another attempt to bring us into a orwellian police state and further legalize thought crime.Stop the new world order and bring real human rights and civil liberties to the table, http://uswgo.com/

uswgo 3 years 30 weeks

This is another attempt to bring us into a orwellian police state and further legalize thought crime. Stop the new world order and bring real human rights and civil liberties to the table, http://uswgo.com/

sloane220 3 years 30 weeks

and i love the isolated incidents of gay people attacking children you brought up,that a lot of homophobes like to bring up in their arguements that homosexuals are inherently patholigical, predatory, and shouldn't be around are but sorry on a whole most people who attack, rape, and murder children, including young boys, ARE STRAIGHT MEN. sorry that diversion didn't work. and your example of the two white people killed by two blacks isn't particularly relevant to this conversation, but explain to me when white people were ever the victims of systemic, instutionialized racism in the united states? black people are the most targeted group for hate crimes based on race. http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2007/victims.htm . hate crimes laws are supposed to protect groups of people who are victims of systems of oppression and are sought out for violent reprisals simply because they possess "undesirable" attributes they cannot change. sorry to inform you, but white straight people do not have to contend with systems of oppression the way other groups of people do and that's just a fact. they are seen as the norm and are the most privileged group in society.

sloane220 3 years 30 weeks

@cirrus1701- i find your commentary despicable. matthew shepard was CLEARLY targeted because he was gay and to deny that to make your asinine point is disgusting and besmirches his memory, and is a form of trying to deny homophobia and the myriad ways that lgbt americans are discriminated against. you don't get to whitewash how this young man was murdered because you can't take the truth, do you understand?

mamasitamalita 3 years 30 weeks

And I applaud you for it!! I am not saying that GLBT members of society shouldn't be protected and shouldn't have equal rights/opportunities, etc. I just think that laws shouldn't be conditional. I think someone said above that if the GLBT community is taking this as a major victory, then I'm very truly thrilled its having a positive outcome.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

Thank you for explaining. :) I guess I just can't understand why'd you'd feel that way, especially after seeing it first hand. I do respect your prerogative to come to a different conclusion than me, though. It's honestly surprising, though. Having lived a life where I've spent so much time in the GLBT community, had girlfriends, had boyfriends, and eventually decided to marry a man - this is a really personal fight for me.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

mamasitamalita 3 years 30 weeks

SKG, to respond, I can pull from CaterpillarGirl -- just because I dislike this legislation does not in ANY way mean I don't support equal right (I don't call myself a "gay rights" or "womens rights" supporter -- its equal rights). I volunteer with an organization in NYC that has different sub-committees handle different "outreach" umbrellas. One committee regularly lobbies in Albany (NY state capital) for a law to be passed that lets women who have been abused and assault or kill their abuser will be given time off of their sentence. MY sub-committee puts me on 8 hour overnight shifts in New York City emergency rooms to sit with domestic violence victims and be their advocate during their visit. That said? I think murder is murder is murder. Someone who takes another's life should be punished for it as provided by the law. They shouldn't have to serve more time because the person they killed was a different color or gender or was hetero- or homosexual, and they shouldn't be allowed to serve less time because the person they killed was a hateful person. If we all want equality, we need to be treated equally. Also, I've taken those psych classes too, and do not trust The Masses or their decision making skills that much, either. However, it doesn't mean my belief on this changes just because people can be easily influenced. Just my two cents.

mamasitamalita 3 years 30 weeks

SKG, to respond, I can pull from CaterpillarGirl -- just because I dislike this legislation does not in ANY way mean I don't support equal right (I don't call myself a "gay rights" or "womens rights" supporter -- its equal rights).I volunteer with an organization in NYC that has different sub-committees handle different "outreach" umbrellas. One committee regularly lobbies in Albany (NY state capital) for a law to be passed that lets women who have been abused and assault or kill their abuser will be given time off of their sentence. MY sub-committee puts me on 8 hour overnight shifts in New York City emergency rooms to sit with domestic violence victims and be their advocate during their visit. That said? I think murder is murder is murder. Someone who takes another's life should be punished for it as provided by the law. They shouldn't have to serve more time because the person they killed was a different color or gender or was hetero- or homosexual, and they shouldn't be allowed to serve less time because the person they killed was a hateful person. If we all want equality, we need to be treated equally.Also, I've taken those psych classes too, and do not trust The Masses or their decision making skills that much, either. However, it doesn't mean my belief on this changes just because people can be easily influenced. Just my two cents.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

I could go into a lot of nerdy details about likeability heuristics, reasoning chains, and emotional shortcuts - but I won't. I do believe, in my own opinion, the decision psychology goes something like this. "Gays. Emotionally I don't like gay people. Do I support gay rights? No. Why don't I support gay rights? Let's use my conservative lens of the world to put my feelings in a way I can understand." Emotional dissonance is distressing. It's confusing for the person experiencing it, so the mind seeks to minimize it. Not supporting gay rights and considering that you might be a homophobe is something that would cause significant emotional dissonance. There has to be a reasoning chain that lets the person justify their feelings. I am not aiming this at anyone in particular, I am just explaining the way I see people that don't support anti-hate crimes legislation. This is my own worldview.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

I could go into a lot of nerdy details about likeability heuristics, reasoning chains, and emotional shortcuts - but I won't. I do believe, in my own opinion, the decision psychology goes something like this."Gays. Emotionally I don't like gay people. Do I support gay rights? No. Why don't I support gay rights? Let's use my conservative lens of the world to put my feelings in a way I can understand." Emotional dissonance is distressing. It's confusing for the person experiencing it, so the mind seeks to minimize it. Not supporting gay rights and considering that you might be a homophobe is something that would cause significant emotional dissonance. There has to be a reasoning chain that lets the person justify their feelings. I am not aiming this at anyone in particular, I am just explaining the way I see people that don't support anti-hate crimes legislation. This is my own worldview.

Chouette4u 3 years 30 weeks

Spacekatgal, is there anyone here saying that they disapprove of this bill but still agree with harsher punishments for other types of hate crimes? Am I somehow bigoted against all of these specially protected groups because I disagree with the basis of hate crime laws?

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 30 weeks

Not everyone who opposes the hate crime bill dislikes gay people.....to think that? is illogical.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

Mamacita, you know I have a ton of respect for you - but do you really feel that way? I think prosecutors can look at the evidence they have and determine if they have the neccasary evidence. Then, it's up to a jury to convict them. There is the same burden of proof as in any other crime. We are all innocent until proven guilty. I'd have to look at the law, but I'd imagine there are clear standards for establishing intent. I also want to say this. One of the things that really influenced my view of the world was learning the psychology of how we make decisions. We'd like to think that we are rational, think about the facts we have and then make our decisions. But the truth is, the human mind rarely works this way. The truth is, we decide how we want to feel and then justify our reasoning for it with facts we might have. That's why, from my worldview, it's hard for me to understand why someone would oppose this legislation if they didn't dislike gay people. I am sure some people have reasons, but I honestly do not understand them.

spacekatgal 3 years 30 weeks

Gdeeaz 3 years 30 weeks

How is a crime determined to be a hate crime? Do they look at the past of the criminal? Statements from family and friends? I really would like to know. I would google it but it is difficult searching websites from my phone.

staple salad 3 years 30 weeks

Sad day for America. Why? Because it took THIS LONG for this piece of legislature to actually be applied. I thought this had been passed years ago, when they took away "gay scare" as a defense in court.

staple salad 3 years 30 weeks

Sad day for America.Why? Because it took THIS LONG for this piece of legislature to actually be applied.I thought this had been passed years ago, when they took away "gay scare" as a defense in court.

mamasitamalita 3 years 30 weeks

Agree with CaterpillarGirl & Chouette4u -- ALL people should be protected. One group shouldn't me more protected than another, or criminals shouldn't be more harshly punished because of who they hurt. If someone mugs a gay guy walking down the street because he's wearing a Rolex, is it a hate crime because he's gay?

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 30 weeks

a spider..isnt he cute? and unnerving at the same time.

cirrus1701 3 years 30 weeks

CG, I have to ask. What is your avatar?

cirrus1701 3 years 30 weeks

No matter what you think of me, I am being honest and true about my concern for your friend.

cirrus1701 3 years 30 weeks

No matter what you think of me, I am being honest and true about my concern for your friend.

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 30 weeks

"G, with all respect, I do think that your opposition to this bill belies your true feelings" Space, You like to call others racist and homophobes, but you throw those terms around WAY TOO MUCH for them to have any impact or to be true in any sense, I would hold back on doing that so your credibility goes up. especially on Citizen 4.0. where you are treading on thin ice.

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 30 weeks

"G, with all respect, I do think that your opposition to this bill belies your true feelings"Space, You like to call others racist and homophobes, but you throw those terms around WAY TOO MUCH for them to have any impact or to be true in any sense, I would hold back on doing that so your credibility goes up. especially on Citizen 4.0. where you are treading on thin ice.

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