Federal Hate Crimes Law Passes House

As I prepare this month's newsletter for the Political Action Committee where I sit on the Board of Directors (The Elections Committee of the County of Orange), I have been thinking a lot more about Hate Crimes legislation as I do my research. I include some GLBT political posts here but, for the most part, I save those writings for the newsletter as my political outlet.

Here's the deal on Hate Crimes:
• Under current law, hate crimes are subject to federal prosecution only if the acts of violence are motivated by race, religion, color or national origin. Federal prosecutors get involved only if the victim is engaged in a federally protected activity, such as voting or participating in interstate commerce.
• The House bill, HR 1592 Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed by a 237-180 vote margin. In years past, the Republican majority has used parliamentary maneuvers to prevent it from coming to a vote. As I track the voting records of southern California representatives, two are of interest. Republican Mary Bono, who represents the heavily gay Palm Springs, voted Yes. Republican David Dreier, a (not very) closeted gay man who represents Glendale/Pasadena, voted No. WTF? A gay man who puts his political aspirations above himself.
• The Senate Bill, renamed the Matthew Shepard Act, hasn't come up for a vote and no date is set.
• The Bush Administration has threatened to veto a bill that expands hate-crime laws to include attacks based on sexual orientation or gender. It would mark just the third veto in seven years of his presidency.

Rep. Tom Feeney, (R-FL), said it is unfair to single out specific groups for protection under the law. To expose his hypocrisy, I hereby call on Representative Feeney to introduce legislation that repeals hate crimes law protections based on religion and race. No? Don't think he'll do it?

Rep. Louie Gohmert, (R-TX), argued that Shepard's killers got harsh sentences without hate-crimes provisions. Again, if hate crimes aren't needed, introduce a law that repeals them based on religion and race.
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