Anyone who didn't feel a sense of history watching this debate today. Well, I just feel sad for you. Today was a chance to educate America, and 200 Democrats, and 35 Republicans, rose to the occasion. You just couldn't watch this debate and not feel a sense of pride, and of change. It doesn't matter if it's only one House. My God, we've never had one House on a federal gay civil rights bill. Now we do.
The Republicans tried to block a vote and argued that a bill to outlaw job discrimination against gays will cause gay marriage. So their amendment was to send the bill back to committee to clarify that the job discrimination bill doesn't legalize gay marriage. In response to that bull shit, Barney Frank made the following response:
Rep. Frank: “I want to address the motion to delay. Mr. Speaker, we say here that we don't take things personally, and usually that’s true. Members, Mr. Speaker, will have to forgive me — I take it personally. 35 years ago, I filed a bill that tried to get rid of discrimination based on sexual orientation. As we sit here today, there are millions of Americans in states where this is not the law. By the way, 19 states have such a law. In no case has it led to that decision. The Massachusetts law passed in 1989, that did not lead to the decision in 2004, unrelated. But here’s the deal: I used to be someone subject to this prejudice. And through luck, circumstance, I got to be a big shot. I’m now above that prejudice. But I feel an obligation, to 15-year-olds dreading to go to school because of the torments, to people they’ll lose their job in a gas station if someone finds out who they love. I feel an obligation to use the status I have been lucky enough to get, to help them. And I want to ask my colleagues here, Mr. Speaker, on a personal basis, please don’t fall for this sham. Don’t send me out of here having failed to help those people.”
No matter what happens in the U. S. Senate or if the Chimperator attempts to veto the bill if it passes the Senate, history has been made today. I am sure the vile, hate filled Christianist are in a frenzy. To that I say GOOD. This nation is not a theocracy and hopefully never will be despite their vicious efforts.
1 comment:
Excellent words from Barney Frank.
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