“We had a lot of hope invested in Obama and his whole administration,” said Kanode of Tech’s LGBTA. “People are going to commit hate crimes whether or not they’re protected. We’re more excited about the fact that this conversation is beginning, the fact that LGBT legislation is starting to pass and starting to come up. More of the conversation happens after it gets signed.”
Kanode said she hoped that conversation will spread and this legislation will have a domino effect.
Judy Shepard issued a statement saying that she and her husband, Dennis, "are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly."
She also called on Americans to look beyond legislation and work in their own lives to advance acceptance of gays.
Critics of the legislation, including several Republican congressional leaders, argued that an attack against another person is an attack, regardless of motivation, and that no special categories are appropriate.
Many also voiced concerns about "thought police" and fears that the new legal protections could curb free speech if those who oppose gay rights fear they could somehow be prosecuted for publicly voicing their thoughts. But the law punishes acts — not thoughts.
Gay rights advocates said that the legislation will enable the Justice Department to step in when states can't or won't, and will make extra federal money and resources available to local law enforcement officials who need help preventing or prosecuting such attacks.
They also predicted that it would affect American society in a meaningful way.
"It sends a number of messages across America: that hate will not be tolerated, that this Congress and administration value all Americans," said Joe Solmonese, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights advocacy group.
Malcolm Lazin, the founder of another advocacy group, Equality Forum, said the legislative progress comes at a time when reported violence against gays is on the rise. Last year, he said, 29 gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender Americans were killed because of their sexual orientation, and that since Shepard's death, more than 16,000 hate crimes have been reported.
"This is really the first federal gay rights bill," Lazin said. "So it is a literally historic moment. This is America acknowledging homophobia as a social problem."
priya saxena contributed to this report
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States won't step in. This is just another example of the Federal Government far exceeding their boundaries. This should have never even made it into a bill to begin with and the fact that it was piggy-backed onto a Defense bill is disgraceful! 3 more years until Obama is out of office and only 1 more year until Pelosi, Reid and the rest of the hunchmen are out. But the question is, how long is it gonna take to overturn ALL of the wrongs they've done. The Dems attempt to blame Bush for the woes of the country yet they're only attempting to cover their rears. If you don't know, we've had a Democracte led Congress for anumber of years and they were the ones consistently pushing a liberal initiative. Educate yourself!
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Yea, cuz the federal government under Bush NEVER oversteps its bounds. Ha!
The left and the right may be on different sides of the coin...but its still the same coin.
Turn off Fauxnews (and CNN, MSNBC and any other MSM) and educate YOURself.
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You know, we'll never get out of the rut this country is in if people keep sarcastically referring to the Bush Administration. That's sort of like saying:
-"Obama got a 48 on his exam, ha ha."
-"Yeh well AT LEAST he's better than Bush who got a 29."
Guess what, they both fail
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