Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed three bills into law which will have a positive impact on the gay and lesbian community.
One bill makes it "more difficult" for defendants to use the "gay panic" defense in order to justify their violent acts against the LGBT community. This bill was spurred on by the 2002 murder of a transgendered teenager, Gwen Araujo, who was brutally attacked, strangled and eventually murdered by several teenage boys when they learned that Gwen was biologically male. The new law requires courts to instruct juries that they cannot make decisions based on bias against victims or witnesses.
A second bill was enacted for the equal treatment of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered persons in political campaigns. The fair treatment of LGBT people will be included in the voluntary pledge candidates and campaign committees sign prior to a political campaign.
The third bill Schwarzenegger signed into law was the Civil Rights Housing Act of 2006, which will change the housing laws making it illegal to discriminate against LGBT persons.
Interestingly, there was a fourth bill up before Governor Schwarzenegger last week - the Safe Place to Learn Act. The Governor did not sign this bill into law. Of all the bills before the Governor, this is the one bill that would have actually done something to help prevent violence against the LGBT community ... and yet the Governor refused to sign it.
This bill would have helped strengthen policies prohibiting discrimination and bullying of LGBT students in California schools. It would have barred textbooks that use discriminatory language against LGBT people. It would have prohibited the negative portrayal of lesbians and gays in textbooks and other materials used for instruction. The original bill, which was eventually amended to the current bill Governor Schwarzenegger refused to sign, included the requirement that social science textbooks include the historical contributions made by gays and lesbians. Because of political pressure, this part of the bill was stricken.
While Governor Schwarzenegger's gestures in support of the LGBT community are (somewhat) admirable, they are soft. If the Governor truly wanted to support the LGBT community, he would have signed all four bills into law.
Sure, it's great that violent criminals can't hide behind a "gay panic" defense by portraying the victim as a deviant and themselves as the victims. It's great that juries will be instructed not to use their biases to make judgments, but will this really stop juries? The truth is that people give into their judgments and biases every day. Jurors are no different.
It's great that LGBT people will get equal and fair treatment in political campaigns. But, number one, it's a statement included on a voluntary pledge candidates sign. I'll say it again, voluntary. If it's so important, why isn't fair treatment being included on something political candidates are required to adhere to? And secondly, what about fair and equal treatment for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people in all aspects of life and the law ... not just in political campaigns? Now that would be something!
And sure, it's great LGBTs can't be discriminated against in the housing market. But a real estate agent isn't likely to come out and tell you, "I'm sorry, you can't live there because you're gay/black/jewish/insert-group-here." They simply won't take you to those areas. And if you show interest, likely they'll come up with some reason why you shouldn't live there. So yes, it's great the law is there in the rare event an agent actually tells you, "I'm sorry. I can't show you that house because you're gay." But come on, there are other areas where pro-gay laws could have more impact.
By not passing the Safe Place to Learn Act, it appears as if Governor Schwarzenegger is supporting continued violence against LGBT youth.
James Dobson, an outspoken and politically influential right-wing Christian and chairman of Focus on the Family, said in a statement recently that if the bills are signed into law, "There goes the next generation of children straight into the arms of the homosexual activist community."
Is Mr. Dobson afraid that California students will "turn gay" because they are seeing positive portrayals of lesbians and gays in their social science books? I wonder if Mr. Dobson, or wait, I think it's actually Dr. Dobson clinical child psychologist, is aware of the fact that heterosexuals actually produce and raise more homosexuals than homosexuals do.
And so it seems as if the Governor of California was more interested in his political career than in doing the right thing. Maybe next time it comes before him, Schwarzenegger will sign it. Aren't the children worth it?
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3 comments:
It's also interesting that Dr. Dobson would fight for family rights and yet he would oppose children learning in a safe environment. Also, do you think he's considered that homos have to actually plan to have families and heteros are out there having babies they don't want and putting them up for adoption? How is that good for his so-called "family values"?
These same unwanted babies Simon spoke of can not even BE adopted by homosexuals! Where is the justice! But perhaps that is the subject for another blog....Back to Arnie and his half-the-way there legislation......
Check out the "family values" t-shirt on the WRF2 Cafe Press site: www.cafepress.com/wearefamilytoo. It speaks to exactly what Simon and Anonymous are talking about!!!! It's great!
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