Okla. senator to propose bill to counter hate crimes law
An Oklahoma state senator plans to offer a bill in the spring legislative session that would give the state of Oklahoma the power to opt out of federal requirements for carrying out the newly amended hate crimes law.
State Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, said the newly passed Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which extends hate crimes law protections to include actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability, oversteps the bounds of the federal government and hinders free speech and religious freedom.
“The federal government should not be creating a special class of people, and that is just what they did when they passed and signed this bill,” Russell said. “All crimes against another person have some level of hate in them, and people can be assured that our laws that protect people against crimes such as murder are sufficient to protect everyone.”
Russell said because the government has decided to intervene on issues of morality, he is worried that religious leaders who speak out against any lifestyle could be imprisoned for their speech.
“The law is very vague to begin with,” Russell said. “Sexual orientation is a very vague word that could be extended to extremes like necrophilia.”
Russell said he is also concerned if someone is attacked and killed for his or her sexual orientation, the suspect could pass the blame onto a religious leader who preached out against the lifestyle of the victim who was attacked.
Russell said, as a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, he is upset that the new hate crimes bill was attached to a defense spending bill.
“This bill couldn’t stand on its own merits through multiple sessions of Congress, so a few activist representatives stuck it into a defense spending bill,” Russell said. “A bill supporting the troops was turned into an activist bill where, if you voted against the hate crimes act, it made you look like you were voting against the troops.”
Russell said Oklahoma can opt out of the law on the basis of the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“The bill gives the federal government power that was not given to them in the Constitution,” Russell said. “I am aware of the supremacy of the federal government over state governments, but the federal requirements are vague enough for us to make actions. We just have to be very careful on how we proceed.”
When asked about whether the state of Oklahoma should reject the $5 million in federal funds that the federal government would give to law enforcement agencies to help prosecute hate crimes, Russell said he thought about finding a way to pass his law while taking the money, but said it would be a compromise in the values of his bill.
“I understand the state could use all the money it can get, but we can’t compromise our values for some quick cash,” Russell said.
He said he is just looking out for everyone’s civil liberties.
“We are trying to protect everyone’s right to free speech as guaranteed in the First Amendment, not just those in a special, protected class,” Russell said.
Spokespeople from the Norman chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and Oklahomans for Equality both said they are still studying the proposed bill and did not want to issue a statement until an actual bill was up for consideration in the state Legislature.
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Idiot.
Religious People were declared a special PROTECTED CLASS in the same Hate Crimes Legislation sexual orientation was recently added to.
So this scum wants to allow Religious People to keep their special protection as a protected class --- but not those put in danger by some of their religius teachings.
All for votes from the hate based Straight Supremists.
He is NOT looking out for EVERYONE’s civil liberties.
Just one group ... the Religious Straight Supremist vote.
So is he ready to demand that Hate Crime Law protection in place to protect against violence based on Religious Belief also be scrapped???
Of course not --- because he is playing games.
"Special, protected class?!?" What an utterly clueless statement, and a tragically incorrect proposal.
It's true that any attack is punishable by law on its own.
The difference between a regular aggravated assault and a hate crime assault is pronounced. Hate crime offenders are far more dangerous, in that they are basically ticking time bombs, carrying around a desire to harm entire groups of the public at any opportunity they get, with zero provocation or interaction necessary. A non-bigoted, equal opportunity jerk may be charged with aggravated assault after he lays waste to a guy who was flirting with his girlfriend in a bar. That's pretty neanderthal, but after an aggravated assault charge he might get some anger management therapy and be okay. People who commit hate crimes, however, are a different breed. It's a way of life for them.
Often, they're members of organized groups which celebrate and reward this kind of behavior, and according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were 19 such groups in Oklahoma alone, as of last year.
These offenders are nothing short of terrorists, and need to be considered and dealt with separately.
As far as "special consideration" as a result of hate crime legislation goes, I don't know what's so tough to understand that it's not even about the victims, except to perhaps make more of an impression on and keep off the street longer the criminals who would stalk and harm them. The Hate Crimes Law is all about defining and recognizing this type of criminal behavior which is really in a class by itself.
People err when assuming that expanding the hate crimes statute to include sexual orientation (meaning Gay AND Straight, by the way) will "criminalize" a person’s thoughts. The current hate crimes law has been on the books since 1969, and NEVER over the past 40 years has someone been prosecuted for expressing prejudice against members of a race or a religious group. Christian pastors have been invoking Scripture against non-Christians for as long as there have been Christians, and the hate crimes statute has never been used against them.
Yesterday a little group of conservative Christians held a rally near the Capitol Building in Washington to express their frustration over the amended hate crimes law. They preached their hatred of Gay people as always, and guess what? No one was arrested. Who cares what they say? I don't. I'm used to it. Pat Robertson, James Dobson, and Sean Hannity can spew their bigotry toward Atheists, Muslims, and Gay people until the cow come home for all I care. All it does is illustrate their own prejudices, and frankly it just makes them look silly.
But there is a BIG difference between expressing personal prejudice against a group, and being motivated by that prejudice to attack someone’s person or property. If someone uses Scripture as a justification for beating up someone who is Gay, that’s a different story.
Likewise when it comes to delineating between different crimes against property: There’s a big moral and ethical difference between someone who spraypaints a "tag" on a highway overpass, and someone who spraypaints swastikas on the front of a synagogue.
Until conservatives mount a concerted effort to repeal the federal hate crimes statute that has been in effect for past 40 years, I’ll continue to see their arguments against the legislation that President Obama signed as pretty disingenuous.
I would be very careful about voting for a politician who does not understand the purpose of hate crimes, why they are created, and who they intend to protect.
State Sen. Steve Russell is one of those people.
Shooting someone for money is a crime against an individual.
Shooting someone because he is gay is a crime against the individual as well as an act of terror against the community, and is therefore more severe.
I hope that when this bill is finished and presented that our state government is both smart enough to look at the history of the issue and nonpartisan enough based on their own beliefs to properly evaluate what this bill would be saying for our state and it's people.
By the hopefully unlikely possibility of it passing, I hope our state government realizes that rallying will take place, in their opposition, during their next election.
Next he'll want to make certain one can yell "FIRE!" in a crowded theater without fear of prosecution. It's a sad day when legislators don't understand the boundaries of freedom.
Wow, you really know how to grow the bigots in OK!
I expect nothing less from a state who's legislators include Inhofe,Kern,and this "wanna be"...go ahead Oklahoma,keep it up.....pretty soon,someone will be writing a book "What's the Matter with Oklahoma"?
"ousooner1997-- Idiot."
qft.
Not to put too fine a point on things, but Sen. Russell is ignorant...ignorant of a few key points. First of all, necrophilia is a disturbing practice involving sex with the dead. Necrophilia is not a sexual orientation. To equate the two is just idiotic. Also, I believe that necrophilia is still listed as a disorder, while homosexuality has been off that list for over thirty years.
Furtermore, since when are violent crimes considered free speech? Matthew Shepard's murder had nothing to do with some nice boys wanting to have their say. Also, we are not a protected class, the new bill was proposed to fill in gaps by our legal system that, contrary to Mr. Russell's fairy tale view, doesn't always offer adequate protection.
And for the record, hate crimes don't only happen to gay people. They happen to women. They happen to people of color. They happen to people who look like they might be this year's definition of a terrorist. They happen to people who have differing religous views. In short, hate crimes can happen to all of us.
It is ignorance and fear, such as displayed by Mr. Russell, that leads to such heinous crimes.
Dear Mr. Russell,
Having read your statement on the recent passage of the S. 909 which expanded long existing hate crimes law included in Chapter 13 of title 18, United States Code, it seems you are confused. I understand you have lots to do there in OK, and probably don't have time to read existing federal statutes, let alone every new addition made to existing law, so I'd like to share a few handy resource tools with you.
http://www.thomas.loc.gov is a great resource. A good place to visit before commenting on legislation coming before the house and senate. Here you can read the actual text of legislation being voted on, thus avoiding embarrassing public statements which include glaring factual errors . It also has a handy section that can help supplement the scanty public school education regarding how our system of government works here in the U.S., historical documents , as well as links to a wide variety of resources from the library of congress. The specific law governing hate crimes can be found here - http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/s9... It is relatively brief and easy to read.
Once a bill has been passed by the federal government, a handy place to familiarize yourself with factual information regarding the United States Code is http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/ . This can clear up any questions one might have regarding the actual text of the legal code enacted by the government here in the U.S., again, avoiding unnecessary gaffs which could misinform your constituents as well as undermine your credibility.
Another good basic overview of how things work in the U.S. http://www.schoolhouserock.tv/America.ht...
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Your Fellow American
Susan L. Jeffers
Oh boy...another one. Just what Oklahoma needs.
Typical O KKK Lahomophobia Remember Timmothy McVay that state just boils over with hatred
"In short, hate crimes can happen to all of us."
Barring white, christian, heterosexual males, of course.
“The federal government should not be creating a special class of people, ..."
Oh, you mean like married people? Or religious people?
Seems to me that the only people against hate crime legislation are against it because it protects gay people. They had no problem when it protected religious people.
What is up with the Republicans obsession with necrophilia?
Steve Russell is an American Hero and modern civil rights leader.
Anyone who has served with the LTC Russell knows him to be a smart, hard working, capable leader with zero tolerance for BS.
This is the sort of person that we need kicking the Feds tails.
Just another right-wing @hole
Please Senator stop all the pandering, You know why the "Hate Crime Bill" was passed. All the injustice that goes on in the "Criminal Justice System" One set of rules for Whites,and another set of rules for Minorities. Why do you think the prison system is mostly Minority Populated while the majority of crimes,murder,Drugs and Gun running,Racial hate crimes performed by White Supremist and Christian Identity Terrorist Groups!
Are mostly swept under the rug and the blind eye of Justice never see the true perpetrators nor do Justice convict at such a high ratio as do Minority. So if you decide to Opt Out of the Hate Crime Legistration than you My friend of Poor Jurisprudence have opted out of Justice for all!
People who hold power such as you are alredy bias and can do no good for the whole of American Society you are a usurper of Truth,Justice,Freedom for all in this society.
Senator you would rather support Socialism and Welfare for the wealth corrupt elite than to provide real Meaninful employment and fair market practices for Mainstream of America.
You would tell the majority culture that Healthcare for them if given by the government is bad. But you get and benifit everyday from Socialise Medicine provided to you and your family free or at such a rediculous discount by Congress which is aborant to all modern belief.
You sir are a double talker someone who will take money to maintain your seat as long as your sat do not rock theboat of the "Status Quo" you sir are an Elitist that give less of concern to the needs and welfare of the Majority Culture.
It is time for true conservatism and Liberty to reign in this country Not some polyana flag waiving freedom Junkie that do not know why those freedom were placed in the Constitution. But you say their is a wave of Socialism that has taking over this country.
I have yu realise that the Consititution is a social Document that has Liberty,Liberal, Unity,Union all written throughout. It has nothing in it about Captialism! Nor do it speaks of Socialism or Wlfare for the Banks,Million and Billion Dollar Coorporations.
What the American People want and needs is TERM Limits for all Politician and we must abolish all Lobbies and PAC.
As everyone already knows, Steve Russell is clearly a CLOSETED HOMOSEXUAL.
Protection from these religious nuts is why we need this law.
why is it that conservatives are so obsessed with beastiality and necrophilia? They are the only people who ever bring it up.
why do you suppose that is?
Gee, and this after the Nov. 14th issue of "The Economist" had a nice story about Oklahoma and the fact that many people were moving to the State seeking new opportunities.
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After this story about Steve Russell appears in the letters to the editor of the next issue of "The Economist", a retraction of of the original nice story should be forthcoming.
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Ah, the wonders of James Inhofe and Wal-Mart. Somehow, the two were made for each other and go great lengths towards making Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana look downright great.
Can someone please stop handing out the ignorance pills? The "part of the problem" team doesn't need anymore weight on their side of the scale.
Religion is a choice. Your sexual orientation is not a choice. It is a choice to attack people who are different than you. It is immoral to perpetuate these actions from the pulpit. You are a bigot and a homophobe.
ok I just read the amendment and the last statement protects them already. This guy is a total idiot.
Oklahoma, thanks to both its marriage discrimination amendment and to state senator Steve Russell's own bigotted amendment is a fly over and do not land state.
This household does not reward hate and bigotry with its tourism dollar.
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