LARRY CRAIG, MITCH McCONNELL & LINDSEY GRAHAM OPPOSE HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION... BUT IT PASSES ANYWAY. BUSH VOWS A VETO

The Senate just added the Hate Crimes bill as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill. It passed with a wide bipartisan majority, 60-39. Ironically, the opposition was led by the two remaining Republican closet queens in the Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The other senatorial closet case, Larry "Wide Stance, toe-tappin'" Craig (R-ID)-- who, by the way has changed his mind again and will not resign after all-- voted against the Hate Crimes legislation that is meant to help states prosecute attacks on homosexuals.

It's worth reading what Harry Reid had to say about the bill in his speech on the floor:

"The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act would strengthen the ability of federal, state, and local governments to investigate and prosecute hate crimes. This amendment would remove the current limitation on federal jurisdiction that allows federal involvement only in cases in which the assailant intended to prevent a victim from engaged in a 'federally protected activity,' such as voting. This amendment would expand the groups protected under current law to include all hate crimes-- including those based on disability, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. And this amendment would provide the Department of Justice the authority to assist state and local jurisdictions in prosecuting violent hate crimes, or to take the lead in such prosecutions where local authorities are unwilling or unable to act. 

"Unfortunately, some of these crimes of hate-motivated violence have been directed at our men and women in uniform. In 1992, Allen Schindler, a sailor in the Navy, was stomped to death by a fellow serviceman because of his sexual orientation. Seven years later, Pfc. Barry Winchell, an infantry soldier in the Army, was beaten to death with a baseball bat because his attackers believed he was gay.  In December 1995, two paratroopers who were members of a group of neo-Nazi skinheads at Fort Bragg shot an African-American couple in a random, racially-motivated double murder that led to a major investigation of extremism in the military. The killers were sentenced to life in prison, and 19 other members of their division were dishonorably discharged for neo-Nazi gang activities.

"According to a recent Southern Poverty Law Center report, the problem may get worse, as members of hate groups have been entering our military, which is increasingly desperate for new recruits. We have to make it clear that crimes of hate in our military will not be tolerated, and this amendment does just that: it strengthens the Defense Authorization bill by sending a clear message that such crimes will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. 

"As we hold ourselves up as a model for the ideals of equality, tolerance, and mutual understanding abroad, we have a special responsibility to combat hate-motivated violence at home. Our troops are on the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere fighting against evil and hate. We owe it to them to uphold those same principles here at home.

"The Matthew Shepard Act was introduced this spring at a ceremony attended by Matthew's parents, Judy and Dennis. I hope that today we will honor the memory of this young man by passing this important legislation which is named after him.

"We all remember the brutal killing of James Byrd some years ago in Texas. We need only look to the recent events in Jena, Louisiana, to see that for all our progress, racial tensions continue across our country today. This legislation honors the commitment to justice that is woven deep within the fabric of our nation. I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting to pass it."

And most of his colleagues did. But not the gay ones. Like I mentioned above, Larry Craig, Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, the Senate's only 3 known gay men, all voted no. (Wyoming's John Barrasso is also rumored to be a closet case but there isn't much evidence. He voted against the Matthew Shepard bill.) Every Democrat voted yes as did 9 Republicans. It is interesting to note that several Republicans who are always demanding that traditional media refer to them as "moderate," also voted against the bill, namely Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Pete "Sneaky Pete" Domenici (R-NM), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

McCain, as usual, was out dialing for dollars. And the 4th member of the GOP Perverts Caucus, David Diapers Vitter (R-LA), of course, voted no. You may recall that the House already passed this bill, also overwhelmingly. The bill is also overwhelmingly supported by American citizens, even conservative and religionist ones. Only 14 House Democrats opposed it:

* Marion Berry (AR)
* Dan Boren (OK)
* Chris Carney (PA)
* Bud Cramer (AL)
* Lincoln Davis (TN)
* Joe Donnelly (IN)
* Brad Ellsworth (IN)
* Bart Gordon (TN)
* Mike McIntyre (NC)
* Charlie Melancon (LA)
* Collin Peterson (MN)
* Mike Ross (AR)
* Rahm Emanuel's Heath Shuler (NC)
* Gene Taylor (MS)

Among the best known and most notorious closeted Republicans in the House, Phil English (R-PA) and Jim McCrery (R-LA) voted with the Democrats; Planet Denny Hastert (R-IL) abstained; and Adrian Smith (R-NE), Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and David Dreier (R-CA), all very self-loathing and in denial, voted against the Hate Crimes bill.