Bill 274 Passed House, Senate and the President Signed Off Too!

Today was a busy day as well. Perhaps most importantly, Bill 274, which was previously approved by the Senate, today passed in the House. The vote was extremely close and at one point a tie seemed possible. Those in favor of the sexual orientation civil rights bill were as follows: Representatives Simon, Zarkasian, Unger, Hilton, Jackson, Zahn, Yarmolinski and Gomez. I should note that Rep. Nedwick was absent from House chambers today.
The vote happily electrified the Senate, who first passed the Bill before sending it on to the House Rules Committee. Within minutes, President Millworth signed the Bill.
For many who sided with the pro-Bill movement, today was an historic day of victory. However, those opposing the Bill are extremely upset with the Bill's passage. Rep. Kilpatrick was visibly shaken after the vote, having to leave chambers for a short period of time.
I asked Speaker Villary about the her vote and the outcome. She stated she had voted against the Bill because she was worried about it protecting gay marriage. Yet in the end, she said, "it came down to protecting our citizens." She was satisfied with the overall vote.
I would like to think that having Senator Meyers on today's program might have allayed some fears surrounding the Bill. The Bill is not about gay marriage or whether it is morally correct to be a homosexual. It simply defines sexual orientation as a part of civil rights legislation.
And on the topic of gay marriage, I showed a clip from this weekend's Miss USA pageant in which a contestant answered a controversial question in an un-politically correct manner in the eyes of the judges. Now, having been in a number of beauty pageants in my much younger days, I can assure you that your love of Jesus is throughly beat in your brain as a southern belle. So I don't really see the fuss about the religion part. All girls are supposed to talk about how moral they are and their desire for world peace. Her question might have been written in a different manner or she could have answered it in a different way. Her stance for her beliefs are admirable, but seems to have cost her the crown. You decide - here's the clip:

In other news, the Senate has been discussing Bill 208 regarding the Lottery. I spoke to Senator Dixon(D) regarding the talks. She felt some members believe the Bill will be a good idea "because it will help the economy and taxes." Dixon stated the Lottery will help with taxes and it is "on a voluntary basis." She noted that there were issues involved in gambling that she would like to investigate further with other members. If possible, she would like to have some sort of program, specifically social programs for gambling addicts, be paid for with the proceeds from the Lottery. Dixon said that both sides of the issue made their points clear. Some were caught in the middle, "(they) were torn between the moral and fiscal issues." She also added that she tried to look at the issues as if she were not a United States Senator, but back home as an "average citizen." It was clear that the issues have not been completely resolved; yet a vote is definitely close. Stay tuned to find out more on the Lottery Bill (previously the Casino Bill).

Tomorrow I'll fill you in on the Cuban recovery efforts, Nigerian situation and much more. Please send in any comments so that we might share your questions on the next broadcast.

Good night -
E.E.

Hate Crimes, Bill 274 and the House

What appeared to be a copy-cat killer is now looking more like an organized hate group. Last week a bomb went off in a homosexual community in Portland, Oregon. Three men were killed in the blast and 22 people were injured.

A few days prior, in New York’s East Side, two gay men were killed execution-style in a remote alleyway near a gay neighborhood. The two men were evidently returning to an apartment after a movie. Police say the perpetrators tied their hands behind each victim, made them kneel down and shot each of them in the back of the head with a .38 caliber pistol.

In both cases, a note was left near the crime scene with words written from scripture: “The wages of sin are death.” The FBI and CIA were testing the notes to look for any connection.

These actions seem to stem from the Senate’s approval of Bill 274 (Sexual Orientation and Discrimination). It was also recently passed in the House Rules Committee and is expected to be open for a vote of the full House as early as this next week. The Bill protects homosexuals as a class, similar to the way race and gender are handled in civil rights legislation. If passed in the House, the Bill will take effect one year after passage.

As expected, there are very strong opinions on both sides of this issue. A website called StopSexualPerversion.org informs visitors that homosexuality is unnatural and should be removed from American society. The home page of this site contends that “homosexuality is a cancer that must be treated through moral reform or other drastic measures.” The site quotes scripture, reports confessions of reformed homosexuals and provides a chat room for those who want to end homosexuality in America. The website is the work of Wendel Lemly, a retired dentist, and his wife. The Lemlys are “dedicating the rest of our lives to the task of saving those homosexuals who can be saved, and exposing the evil in those who defy the laws of nature.”

And in an odd turn of events, leaders of a group called Fight Back have expressed frustration with a Cleveland, Ohio U.S. District Court decision by appealing the decision regarding “freedom of speech” for anti-homosexual websites. Traditionally, homosexual groups have used freedom of speech for their rallies and promotional literature. Now Fight Back, an organization designed to protect the rights of homosexuals, intends to turn the tables and contest the constitutionality of the site, citing their frustration and anticipating a long appeal. The leader of Fight Back, Brian Jefferies, stated the Lemlys’ anti-homosexual site “provides a gathering place for hate groups, and subtly encourages violence against homosexuals.”

The sides are not drawn as simply as pro-homosexuality and anti-homosexuality. According to recent polls, many Americans are in favor of civil unions for homosexuals. The idea of the class as a whole being protected as a civil rights group may bring more controversy. In some cases, hiring individuals based not based on sexual orientation might prove morally challenging to religious work environments. However, the same ideal holds true for persons of color or minorities. The religious right and far right conservatives are not moving their position. The far-lefters feel they have been silent for too long and will push the issue until the Bill is adopted. We are set for a volatile situation unless Congress comes up with a plan quickly. Even then (and either way), I would expect riots and some Congresspersons to lose their seat come next election.

To add a punch for the pro-Bill 274 side, just this weekend a press release from the Human Rights Campaign (an interest group supporting gay rights), publicly stated their appreciation to Senator Meyers (D) for his years of hard work on behalf of the gay and lesbian community for passing 274. The group also implored to the House to pass Bill 274, noting the public is generally in favor of protecting homosexuals from discrimination (and similar issues), and that Republicans should be reaching out to new demographics and younger voters.

I was granted a short interview with Senator Meyers last week (prior to the Human Rights Campaign announcement). He was very pleased that 274 passed the Rules Committee, stating that is was even more significant for him as he is an openly gay Senator from Michigan. He stated, “It is a great time to be an American. Ending bigotry based on sexual orientation – This is the last frontier of civil rights.” He noted Senate success would not have been possible without the bipartisan effort. He added that he has spoken with the House Speaker (Villary) and they expect to receive similar support within the House.

In the works for next week’s show – I hope to have an interview lined up with an expert on Bill 274 to discuss the current hate crime situations and discuss the possibility of the Bill’s passage. Please leave comments and questions and we may be able to have them on the air. Until then –

E.E.

Bill #274, Senate Passed 8:1

Today the Senate passed Bill #274, which outlined the elimination of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. If passed by the House, this bill will go into effect one year after passage, and no discrimination lawsuits can be filed during the intervening period of time.
So what is the bill all about? In a word – controversy.

The bill was designed to protect the employment rights of people identified by their sexual orientation in much the same way as Civil Rights legislation did for color and gender in the 1960s. Individuals who feel they have been discriminated based on their sexual orientation may bring suit against other individuals and/or organizations.

While the bill passed by an overwhelming majority and even experienced bipartisanship support in the Senate, religious conservative organizations such as Family Focus are outraged. These organizations feel the bill would make it easier for the Supreme Court to require all states to institute civil unions – or - put simply, a Trojan horse for gay marriage.

Undeterred and desiring additional bipartisanship aid on this issue, Senate Majority Leader Meyers (D) sent a statement to Speaker of the House, Villary (R). After reading the press copy, I can say that Meyers’ attempt to sway members toward the full passage of the bill is admirable. Meyers writes: “An anti-discrimination policy with regards to sexual orientation will benefit all Americans. It will cut down on the hate crime rates and increase the quality of life for LGBTQ Americans who can now have job security and harassment protection which will promote a better working environment for all Americans.”
Meyers also listed the most recent findings from the National Election Study (dated 2004) in which a large majority of polled individuals responded favorably to the suggestion that an individual’s employment be protected based on sexual orientation.

This poll likely did not include many (if any) Family Focus organization’s members. They presented a strong reaction by stating: “Today, the Senate voted to weaken religious and personal liberties by passing Senate Bill 274, effectively granting special rights to homosexual groups. Homosexual activists have convinced a heavily Democratic Senate to grant protected class statute to homosexuals, a protection that should be reserved for immutable characteristics such as race or gender, rather than behavioral choices.” In this, they argued that religious liberties would be weakened if full passage occurred. To further their plea, one spokesperson stated the following example: “A Christian family will now be forced to rent their upstairs apartment to a practicing homosexual couple, even if they disapprove of their behavior. Christian businesses can no longer turn down job applicants who are openly engaged in homosexual activities, even if such behavior contradicts their morals and religious values. We urge Speaker Villary and House Republicans to ensure this bill never sees President Millworth's desk, and we will giving our fullest support to any candidate who runs against those Senators who voted for this bill."

A long time House Representative, Speaker Villary is sure to have her staff on call for what seems to be a deluge of correspondence from both sides of this issue. Having blocked the first set of session proposals from the President, Villary may be positioning herself for political suicide if she also blocks additional proposed legislation. And the albatross around her neck might be Republican Senator Litz of Alaska who voted across party lines in favor of the bill. To again quote from Family Focus’s spokesperson: “We expected nothing less from the Senate Democrats. But from Litz, this vote comes as a betrayal. We know she has an independent, libertarian streak, but this vote goes against the conservative values of her supporters and constituents.” When asked if Family Focus and other conservative groups would help mount a primary challenge to Litz in 2012, the spokesperson replied, "You better believe it."

I will continue to monitor this situation; however, until Villary decides how to proceed, it appears this bill might stand in the wings for awhile. With strong feelings on both sides heating up, I anticipate more bipartisan reaching out from the Senate and an increasing public outcry from both religious right groups and liberal organizations.

- E.E.