WAR SPENDING? LET'S PLAY HARDBALL

King George is asking for more billions (230 at last estimate) to continue the war in Iraq. And, although the liberals are being admonished by their constituents to deny the money, insiders know the painful truth...if we do, the President will not bring our troops home, he will continue what he did at first, namely fight the war on the cheap. Not enough Kevlar vests, practically open air Humvee offering no protection...well, against anything, etc.

So, what do we do? Vote against it and be called traitors or enemies of the troops, or pass it, and suffer increasingly plummeting poll numbers from our voting base? Clearly, we have to give the $$$. We cannot turn our backs on the unfortunates over in the Middle east fighting this war. To do otherwise would further jeopardize the troops (whether "phony" or not, as Rush "Vicodin" Gasbag has clearly identified them).

So, we vote for the bill, BUT NOT UNTIL WE ATTACH WHAT WE WANT. Hate crimes legislation, increases in the minimum wage, recension to the rich mans tax cut, etc. We get what we want, or you can shove your war spending act up your filibuster. Go ahead and veto it, smart guy. Spin it anyway you would like.

Yes, I have heard the criticism of the Hate Crimes Bill...you cannot change the penalties for what people think, it is the thought police, Orwellian nightmare, etc. I have even heard the actual hate crimes are all trumped up to make it look like there is a problem that just plain old does not exist (I love that one). But can you look at these instances and tell me an extra penalty shouldn't be levied against the people who committed these crimes (there are many, many more, folks)?

On October 6, 1998, 21-year-old college student Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming, pistol-whipped, then left for dead in the freezing night. He died six days later.

Born Teena Brandon and raised as a girl, he was living as a man known as Brandon Teena in Falls City, Nebraska, when he was murdered at age 21. In December of 1993, two men who discovered his gender raped him. His attackers later shot and killed him after learning Brandon had reported the rape and was to help police in the investigation.

On September 22, 2000, a man looking to "waste some faggots" entered a gay bar in Roanoke, Virginia and opened fire, killing Danny Overstreet, and injuring 6 others.

On the fourth of July, 2000, JR Warren, 26, who was black and gay, was beaten to death by three men in West Virginia, then run over by a car to make it look like a hit and run

Pfc. Barry Winchell, 21, was beaten to death by fellow service members while sleeping in his cot on July 5, 1999 at Fort Campbell, Ky. His Army colleagues thought (correctly) that he was gay, so they killed him.

Billy Jack Gaither, 39, of Sylacauga, Alabama was bludgeoned to death by two men on Feb. 19, 1999, then set on fire with automobile tires because he was gay.

On May 8, 1995, Bill Clayton, 17, committed suicide after having been brutally assaulted for being bisexual.

On August 7, 1995, Tyra Hunter died after DC fire department emergency medical technicians called her epithets, backed away, and refused to render treatment on discovering that she was a transgendered woman.

Yes, things have gotten better. Social acceptance is evolving. But, as long as there is one instance of a bigoted, depraved hate crime killer out there, then this legislation if necessary. Will it be used often? Probably not. Will it deter crimes of this nature? Probably not, these people do not care about anything but their own hate. But we need to lock these people up for life when proven in a court of law. When the motive is hate, then extra penalties must be judiciously applied. And all of our citizens must be protected. I leave you with some quotes from a woman who knows the environment, and realities of being a minority in this culture and suffering for it.....

Make Room At The Table for Lesbian and Gay People
Coretta Scott King, speaking four days before the 30th anniversary of her husband's assassination, said Tuesday the civil rights leader's memory demanded a strong stand for gay and lesbian rights. "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice," she said. "But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'" "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people," she said.

Homophobia is Like Racism and Anti-Semitism
Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called on the civil rights community to join in the struggle against homophobia and anti-gay bias. "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and person hood," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group."

"Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination." - Coretta Scott King