Thump, Thump

That is the sound of us getting run over down in South Carolina when they dropped us and lesbians and gays from their hate crime bill.

Sexual orientation axed from South Carolina hate crime bill
AP
By Jeffrey Collins
March 11, 2021


COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A hate crimes bill in South Carolina no longer protects gay or transgender people after a Republican leader said including them would likely lead members of his party to withdraw their support.

A House subcommittee on Thursday passed an amendment removing sexual orientation, creed, gender, age and ancestry from the bill. The measure now includes just six protected groups, all of which have long been included in federal law: race, color, religion, sex, national origin and physical or mental disability.

Supporters of the bill as originally written questioned the worth of a hate crimes law that doesn’t include gay and transgender people, who they say are among those most in need of protection.

Thump, thump.

“The mere fact in 2021 there is any disagreement on whether gays should be included in a hate crime bill is indicative of why we need the bill,” said Democratic Rep. Justin Bamberg from the city of Bamberg.

Thump, thump.

Conservatives worried the hate crimes bill might be used against religious groups who oppose homosexuality or abortion.

There we go… the conservatives want to hide their discrimination behind “religious freedom”

Nationally we have the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and here in Connecticut we have a hate crime law that covers us and the Connecticut law has criminal penalties. And a little known fact about Connecticut’s non-discrimination law is that it also includes criminal penalties…

Any person who, with the intent to subject, or cause to be subjected, any other person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities, secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of this state or of the United States, on account of religion, national origin, alienage, color, race, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, blindness or physical disability, violates the provisions of section 46a-58, as amended by this act, while wearing a mask, hood or other device designed to conceal the identity of such person shall be guilty of a class D felony.

And in Connecticut a class D felony is punishable by a state prison term of one to five years and a fine of up to $5,000.