The Matthew Shepard Act

The bill also called, Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed the house today 249-175, over conservatives’ objections.

Hate crimes — as defined by the bill — are those motivated by prejudice and based on someone’s race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

A weaker bill died two years ago under a veto threat from President George W. Bush.

President Barack Obama, in contrast, urged support, saying it would “enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association.” Obama called for passage in the Senate, where Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., is the chief sponsor.

The Illinois Family Institute, a conservative Christian group, said, “The bill is not about stopping crime, but about giving sexual preference the same legal status as race. This legislation is just a stepping stone to regulate the speech of people who support family values.”

fnord

Pro-Guns, Anti-Obama and Democrats…

Max Blumenthal took his cameras and attended gun shows in Antioch, California, and Reno, Nevada, on April 18 – 19.  He found gun enthusiasts who are convinced President Obama and the Democratic majority will take away American’s guns.  In fact, their conspiracy theories only begin there and get worse.  They profess we will all be herded into concentration camps and everything will be taken away — taking our guns is only the beginning!

They are preparing for an armed revolt.  Blumenthal reports they won’t be limited in the kinds of weapons they can choose to be prepared with.  He saw rocket-propelled-grenade launchers and bazooka guns, a brand of.50-caliber assault rifle that was banned in California because it could supposedly down an airplane.  Although big guns were the main attractions, also offered for sale were Swastika-emblazoned flags, photographs of Hitler and his henchmen, and anything related to the Third Reich.

Read his report on this gun culture mentality and see the video he made here.  Judge for yourselves how serious these people are, and how serious a threat they may be to America.

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Why the Death of the GOP May Not be a Good Thing

Blogger, Teddy Williams, in his effort Left of College Station explains the simple reasons for the GOP’s problems.  He further asserts a very weak GOP may not be in this country’s political best interests.

Iggy Donnelly

GOP’s Swing Rightward Responsible For Specter Decision

In the Mother Jones article, How the Far Right Handed Dems a 60 Vote Majority, Jonathan Stein and Nick Baumann explain Spector’s political calculus that led to his party switch.  Nationally, and especially locally in Pennsylvania, the GOP is getting smaller and more virulently conservative.  Spector would have had to face far right opponent Pat Toomey.  Specter beat Toomey in 2004, but as the GOP has shifted further right, the chances of Specter repeating that win (especially given Specter’s support of Obama’s stimulus package) would have been quite slim.  Recognizing his thin chances in winning among the wingnuts was what prompted Specter’s statement: “I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.”

The ‘Pubs could win, if they’d just get more conservative.  It’s always won for them hasn’t it?

Iggy Donnelly

Wednesday, 04/29/09 Public Square

Serendipity is the gift of making happy, accidental discoveries of valuable things you weren’t looking for.  It comes to the person who is curious and adventurous.

Let’s talk and maybe we’ll happen upon something valuable accidentally.  Maybe we’ll just decide our conversations are valuable.

fnord