This bill is an appropriate and measured response to the unrelenting and under-addressed problem of violent hate crimes committed against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.
While the bill passed easily without Rep. Thompson's support, it's a shameful reminder that there is a lot of work to do on these issues here in Venango County and that GLBT people need to be seen and heard in order for family, friends, colleagues, clergy, and elected representatives to know that we are part of the community and deserve to be treated equally, with the same dignity and respect as anyone and everyone else.
Idahoans for Fairness is struggling with similar concerns. Here's what they're doing about it:
Idaho legislators continue to tell us that the LGBT community doesn't exist in rural Idaho and that we don't need "special protections."
Over the next year, we plan to collect photos of LGBT families and individuals to deliver to our representatives next session when we bring forth the Idaho Human Rights Act amendment for the fourth year.
We need to show our representatives that we need equal protections and that WE ARE IDAHO!!!
Perhaps Rep. Glenn 'GT' Thompson, as well as all of our local representatives, need to hear from us in similar ways!
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Here's the number for Glenn Thompson's office.
Call Rep. Thompson's office at (202) 225-5121 and be heard even though the vote has passed.
When I called the day before the Hate Crimes vote, I was greeted by a polite woman. It's sad that our calls and emails had little effect.
It's even more sad that anyone - especially in the name of God - sanctions hatred and crimes based on it. We are, after all, talking about CRIME based on hatred - a stiffer sentence for CRIME if it is shown to be combined or driven by hatred of a class of people.
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