Tag Archives: Matthew Shepard Act

Senate Strips F-22 Funding From DoD Bill

The U.S. Senate just voted to strip funding for the F-22 fighter jet from the defense appropriations bill to which the Matthew Shepard Act is attached, clearing the way for President Obama to sign it. The bill continues to be discussed and tomorrow the Senate will vote on whether to remove another unrelated amendment, one that permits gun owners to …

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Sen. Jeff Sessions Submit Three Amendments To Hate Crimes Act

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) has submitted three amendments to the Matthew Shepard Act in an attempt to undo support. HRC Backstory reports: The first Sessions Amendment would allow the death penalty to be applied in hate crimes cases under some circumstances. This Amendment is unnecessary and is a poison pill designed to kill the bill. The Amendment is being offered …

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BREAKING: Matthew Shepard Act Passes U.S. Senate

LGBT history was made late last night when U.S. Senate passed the Matthew Shepard Act as an amendment to a defense appropriations bill. This is the most dramatic federal endorsement of LGBT rights in history and the first major achievement made during the Obama administration. The Senate has approved the most sweeping expansion of federal hate crimes protections since the …

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McCain Objects To Hate Crimes Bill

Sen. John McCain spoke on the record today at the floor of the Senate to object to the Matthew Shepard Act being attached to a defense appropriations bill. “This is a complete abdication of the responsibilities of the judiciary committee but more importantly could hang up this bill for a long period. While we have young Americans fighting and dying …

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Hate Crimes: Count The Lies

Get out your Liars Bell and give it a DING every time you hear the Family Research Council lie about hate crimes in this clip. Special guest appearance from voter registration fraudster Bishop Harry Jackson. On Monday, Senate Democrats attached the Matthew Shepard Act to the Defense Department’s annual appropriation bill, something the NY Times calls a “must-pass measure.” Right …

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Bizarre Bedfellows: Gun Nuts & The Senate Hate Crimes Act

The Washington Independent is reporting that an amendment allowing gun owners to carry their concealed weapons across state lines may be attached to the Matthew Shepard Act, the Senate’s hate crimes bill. The spurious reasoning: It will protect gays from bashing. Yeeeeah. And GOProud nutter Jimmy LaSalvia one of the people behind it. One month after successfully tucking an amendment …

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Wingnuts Rejoice Over Andrew Sullivan’s Position On Hate Crimes

Under headlines like “Homosexual Leader Admits Hate Crimes A Fraud”, wingnuts sites have been crowing for several days over Andrew Sullivan’s dismissal of the Matthew Shepard Act as a “scam.” Via World Net Daily: A longtime pundit and supporter of the homosexual lifestyle choice has admitted online that the so-called “hate crimes” bill now pending in the U.S. Senate is …

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PhoboQuotable – James Dobson

“I want to tell you up front that we’re not going to ask you to do anything, to make a phone call or to write a letter or anything. There is nothing you can do at this time about what is taking place because there is simply no limit to what the left can do at this time. Anything they …

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Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness (Unless It Promotes Hating Gays)

Check out Christianist site World Net Daily’s trio of headlines today about the hate crimes act currently before the U.S. Senate. These so-called Christians have absolutely zero problem with publishing outlandish outright lies in furtherance of their relentless campaign to beat down LGBT Americans.

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Rep. Virginia Foxx Sends Letter Of Apology To Judy Shepard

After standing on the floor of Congress and calling the use of Matthew Shepard’s death to advance the hate crimes bill a “hoax”, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has sent a letter of apology to Judy Shepard, who was in the gallery during the speech. The Matthew Shepard Foundation acknowledges receipt of the letter, but declined to discuss its contents, saying …

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James Dobson: The Religious Rights’s Most Outrageous Liar

Focus On The Family head James Dobson goes video with his outrageous lies that the hate crimes bill currently before Congress in fact protects pedophiles and other sexual criminals from prosecution. Watch in disbelief. “Bisexuality, exhibitionism, fetishism, incest, necrophilia, pedophilia, prostitution, sexual masochism, urophilia, voyeurism, and bestiality. Those are just a few. And I have to ask, have we gone …

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Religious Right Escalates Lies In Face Of Possible Passage Of Hate Crimes Act

“30% off jail time for assaulting Grandma or other non-homosexuals.” So says the above “coupon for criminals” posted on rabid hater Janet Porter’s new site, Faith 2 Action. When combined with existing law, this bill could have a very chilling effect on free speech. A pastor could be charged with inciting a hate crime for the content of his sermon. …

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Hate Crimes Bill Passes U.S. House!

After hours of contentious debate during which GOP members of the House parroted numerous lies funneled to them by the American Family Association, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HR 1913) passed by a vote of 249-175. Democrats opposing: 17. Republicans in favor: 18. Yesterday Sen. Ted Kennedy introduced a Senate version of the bill. President Obama has …

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Action Alert: Fight Hate Now

The Human Rights Campaign is asking the LGBT community to call their representatives in Congress over the next three days and demand their support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. After more than a decade of lobbying on Capitol Hill and seven successful votes on the bill, this critical piece of legislation is again expected to see …

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Hate Crimes Bill Passes Committee

Despite attempts by Republican legislators to add unborn children, pregnant women, and members of the military to the protected classes, today the House Judiciary Committee narrowly approved the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act* by a vote of 15-12. GOP reps also attempted but failed to strip gender identity protections from the act. The bill will go the full …

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Judy Shepard Calls For Hate Crimes Law

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The Wingnuts Have Outdone Themselves

Just when you think the bizarre lies of the Christianist right cannot possibly get any more outrageous, they go and outdo themselves…….. Lou Sheldon’s Traditional Values Coalition is claiming that the hate crimes act currently before Congress will legalize numerous types of sexual crimes because the American Psychiatric Association lists certain sexual fetishes under a long list of “sexual orientations” …

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ZOMG!1!! Federal Imprisonment For Christians Is Right Around The Corner!

According to the title of the latest missive from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, if a federal hate crimes bill passes, “Federal Imprisonment For Christians Is Right Around The Corner.” Why should you be fuming and taking action before you even finish reading this? Because these two bills that are going to be sent to President Barack Obama’s desk will silence …

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Gays Face Battles With 2008 Congress

Congress returns from their holiday break over the next week with three major pieces of pro-gay legislation still to be resolved: the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, and the bill that ripped apart LGBT and progressive groups – the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). With so many issues facing this session of Congress (the …

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Matthew Shepard Act:
Progress Screwed By Principles

Democratic Senate leaders, acquiescing to their anti-war constituents, yesterday stripped the Matthew Shepard Act from the defense funding bill to which it was attached. Matthew Shepard’s mother has released a statement regarding yesterday’s decision: We are truly dismayed to find that Congress now will put aside its leadership on passage of federal hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation and …

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