Yes, believe it or not, there's actually good news for Gay rights.
Illinois has passed a bill giving GLBT folk equal rights protection.
IL Gay Bill Passes Jan. 11
by Andrew Davis
2005-01-11
A historic measure that gives gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people new protection in Illinois became reality when it passed the state Senate 30-27 on Jan. 10 and the Illinois House of Representatives 65-51 on Jan. 11.
The passages mean that “sexual orientation” will be added to the Illinois Human Rights Act and prohibit discrimination against GLBTs regarding everything from housing to employment to getting credit.
The votes came on the legislature’s last day. If either the House or Senate had killed the bill, supporters would have had to start from scratch with the new legislature that was sworn in Jan. 12. When Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who already said he supports the bill, signs the legislation, Illinois will become only the 15th state to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The bill defines sexual orientation as a person’s “actual or supposed heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality or gender identity.” By including gender identity within that definition, transgender individuals are expected to be covered by the law.
Yay. I was getting too used to depressing news from the States.
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Imperial Overlord wrote:Yay. I was getting too used to depressing news from the States.
Me too, me too.
Did anyone note that there's a list of Republicans who supported this, as well? That's not jump-up-and-down-while-I-piss-my-pants good news, but right now I'll take what I can get.
Every little bit helps. Granted other places are taking big steps in the other direction, but this is still good.
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Imperial Overlord wrote:Yay. I was getting too used to depressing news from the States.
Me too, me too.
Did anyone note that there's a list of Republicans who supported this, as well? That's not jump-up-and-down-while-I-piss-my-pants good news, but right now I'll take what I can get.
Proving that where you come from can be more important than your party. A Democrat from California is slightly different than a Democrat from Texas (apparently a few exist - although they are on the endangered species list).
Proving that where you come from can be more important than your party. A Democrat from California is slightly different than a Democrat from Texas (apparently a few exist - although they are on the endangered species list).
That's because party alleigence within states is relative to the politcal "center" for that specific state, rather than the country as a whole: A Democrat from Alabama would be a Republican in Massachucetts, and a Republican from Massachucetts would be a Democrat in Alabama...
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Stormbringer wrote:Like Michigan and the other "rust belt" state it's more blue for economics reasons than on social issues like this.
That matters how? The people are electing Democrats for whatever reason, but being Democrats carries a plethora of issues with it, not just that which they were elected on.
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Shouldn't anti discriminations laws protect all US citizens anyway (in theory)?
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GLBT isn't defined as a 'protected category' (like race, gender, etc) in Federal civil rights laws.
States can write their own laws and add to what the Federal laws cover, which is what Illinois has done.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
Glocksman wrote:GLBT isn't defined as a 'protected category' (like race, gender, etc) in Federal civil rights laws.
States can write their own laws and add to what the Federal laws cover, which is what Illinois has done.
One could make the arguement that it should fall under 'gender' but, oh well. Good on Illinois!
Η ζωή, η ζωή εδω τελειώνει!
"Science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14" strap-on" - Masuka 'Dexter'
"Angela is not the woman you think she is Gabriel, she's done terrible things"
"So have I, and I'm going to do them all to you." - Sylar to Arthur 'Heroes'
Oh yeah, lest someone think I'm being sarcastic in using the term 'protected category', I'm not.
It's the term I learned to use to describe what's covered under the civil rights laws as a shop steward during my training classes.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
Oh, this is all so exciting! Usually, all the civil rights fights are the ones you read in the history textbooks. There's something about living in one that makes me jump.
I still find it inconceivable that only a small percentage of states have these laws. Why does America keep trumpeting they are so perfect? Land of the free my ass.
We're not perfect up here, but we're light years ahead of that country in those respects.
You have to realize that most Christian "moral values" behaviour is not really about "protecting" anyone; it's about their desire to send a continual stream of messages of condemnation towards people whose existence offends them. - Darth Wong alias Mike Wong
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Justforfun000 wrote:I still find it inconceivable that only a small percentage of states have these laws. Why does America keep trumpeting they are so perfect? Land of the free my ass.
We're not perfect up here, but we're light years ahead of that country in those respects.
And if you want to turn this into a US/Canada pissing match, we're light years ahead of y'all on free speech. Just ask that asshole Ernst Zundel.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
But that certainly doesn't mean the US shouldn't improve its civil rights laws to include gays.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
And if you want to turn this into a US/Canada pissing match, we're light years ahead of y'all on free speech. Just ask that asshole Ernst Zundel.
But I tend to agree with the types of limits we have on free speech. I think they are more reasonable than allowing people to incite hatred.
I know, I know, then you can argue the morality as to how do you judge what's hateful or not, it's not a black and white issue.
True, but I still think we have a better compromise.
You have to realize that most Christian "moral values" behaviour is not really about "protecting" anyone; it's about their desire to send a continual stream of messages of condemnation towards people whose existence offends them. - Darth Wong alias Mike Wong
"There is nothing wrong with being ignorant. However, there is something very wrong with not choosing to exchange ignorance for knowledge when the opportunity presents itself."
Crown wrote:Shouldn't anti discriminations laws protect all US citizens anyway (in theory)?
In theory the 9th and 14th ammendments cover this issue.
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