Standing on Solid Ground
Today I got an e-mail from one of the senators of Michigan. It isn’t important which one it was but what the e-mail contained. In the e-mail was a request for me to take a stand on an amendment to a proposal for hate crime legislation.
To bring you up to date, on record now is an act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This act is now up for amendment due to the limitations that are part of the original act. The amendment has already been approved by one vote in the Senate. Now before a House-Senate Conference Committee, it is imperative that you and I, citizens of this country to voice our opinions on this issue because President Bush plans to veto it.
The act stands now defining hate crimes as offenses motivated by race, ethnic background, religion and national origin. The trouble with that is it does not cover all that entails a hate crime. This is why there is an amendment introduced to it. The amendment will bring into the act a few more details on what is a hate crime. It will insert sexual orientation, gender and disability.
Now you tell me why this should be vetoed by the president? Does he feel that any of the descriptions given for hate crimes are not valid? I personally could not even imagine which part he is against. As far as I know being a Black (ethnic/race) woman (gender) who is a devoted Baptist (religion) may have experienced discrimination in the past or that which may come in the future, be denied the right to protection under the law. Can you tell me no part of this legislation pertains to you? I don’t think so.
So it is up to you, me and others to let the conference committee know, the amendment to the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is passed. No one should be left out in the cold to be stomped, harassed, or any other way haters find to disrespect an individual that is not like them. Please go to
Hate Crimes to let them know you are against any hate crimes committed and you want the amendment passed. Yes, the democratic senators are doing this but shouldn’t republicans be in on this too?
To bring you up to date, on record now is an act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This act is now up for amendment due to the limitations that are part of the original act. The amendment has already been approved by one vote in the Senate. Now before a House-Senate Conference Committee, it is imperative that you and I, citizens of this country to voice our opinions on this issue because President Bush plans to veto it.
The act stands now defining hate crimes as offenses motivated by race, ethnic background, religion and national origin. The trouble with that is it does not cover all that entails a hate crime. This is why there is an amendment introduced to it. The amendment will bring into the act a few more details on what is a hate crime. It will insert sexual orientation, gender and disability.
Now you tell me why this should be vetoed by the president? Does he feel that any of the descriptions given for hate crimes are not valid? I personally could not even imagine which part he is against. As far as I know being a Black (ethnic/race) woman (gender) who is a devoted Baptist (religion) may have experienced discrimination in the past or that which may come in the future, be denied the right to protection under the law. Can you tell me no part of this legislation pertains to you? I don’t think so.
So it is up to you, me and others to let the conference committee know, the amendment to the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is passed. No one should be left out in the cold to be stomped, harassed, or any other way haters find to disrespect an individual that is not like them. Please go to
Hate Crimes to let them know you are against any hate crimes committed and you want the amendment passed. Yes, the democratic senators are doing this but shouldn’t republicans be in on this too?
posted by Sylvia McClain at 2:50 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home