GALLUP: Majority of Republicans In Favor Of Hate Crimes Law To Include Sexual Orientation
According to a recent Gallup Poll, 60% of Republicans support the expansion of federal hate crimes legislation to include sexual orientation. The bill, having passed the House, is also in the Senate and is known there as The Matthew Sheppard Act. The president has threatened a veto. Unfortunately for “W”, the poll shows that he is just out of step with the majority of Republicans on this issue. Remember, the train has already left the station on the issue if there should be hate crimes legislation. There is already hate crimes legislation. This bill expands it to protect members of the GLBT community. Despite what Dr. James Dobson of Focus on Family says, the bill would not penalize persons from speaking out against homosexuality. That appearently is the religious rights’ argument they are making to the President. Or for that matter, Rep. Dan Lungren, who represents suburban areas near Sacramento, who believes that the bill’s lack of a definition for sexual orientation threatens to “enshrine” in law protections for the North American Man/Boy Love Association, or NAMBLA. Despite the rumors, the law will not legalize same gender pedophilia or curtail anyone’s First Amendment rights. I hope OUR President listens to the majority of Republicans and Americans in general who support the Matthew Sheppard Act and ignores the illogical arguments Dr. Dobsen and Rep. Lungren.