**UPDATE** 06.25.09: Senate did NOT vote on the Hate Crimes Bill today as expected. Attached it to the Defense Authorization Bill. May not pass…
Happy Anniversary, Virginia Foxx, It’s two months – eight full weeks, almost to the minute, since you uttered your now infamous words on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Eight weeks since you haven’t apologized. Eight weeks since you belittled to hate crime death of a 5′ 1″ 105 lb. 21 year-old boy. Eight weeks since Judy Shepard, Matthew’s mother, had to sit in the same room with you, hear your hate, see your ignorance, feel your disrespect.
In case you’ve managed to forget, Rep. Foxx, I’ve taken the liberty of re-publishing them. Here they are:
“The hate crimes bill that’s called the Matthew Shepard Bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn’t because he was gay. This – the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it’s really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.â€
Pity you haven’t been able to deliver a real apology to Mrs. Shepard, or to the millions of LGBTQ Americans your words sliced open that day, just eight weeks ago. I can still hear your voice in my ears, see your bigotry streaming from your mouth. And so do, I guarantee you, millions of Americans. Your image and voice are forever imprinted upon us.
America, it’s also, eight weeks since the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill was passed, despite the evil words of Rep. Foxx, in that very same U.S. House of Representatives. Eight weeks that the U.S. Senate has yet to pass the bill. Eight weeks that a countless number of Americans have had to continue to live their lives under fear of being the next hate crime victim. Eight weeks that local governments have had to continue to go without proper support from the federal government.
Tomorrow, Thursday, at 10:00 AM, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear arguments on The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which you can see live by clicking here. In attendance will be Attorney General Eric Holder, Gail Heriot, Commissioner, United States Commission on Civil Rights, Brian W. Walsh, Senior Legal Research Fellow, Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, among others.
It’s been four weeks, Rep. Foxx, since you received our letter, and yet we’ve had no response. Not even a form letter. That’s not just bad manners, Dr. Foxx, it’s bad politics.
Yes, it’s great that a stronger ENDA bill was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Foxx, can we assume your vote will be “no,” when the time comes? You can be certain we’ll be watching. And, working to make sure you’re not re-elected.
Please, if you haven’t yet, join the almost 2000 people who abhor bigotry and ignorance. Join FireFoxx. And then ask your friends to, as well. FireFoxx is our Facebook page dedicated to ensuring Virginia Foxx, and others like her, are exposed and never re-elected.
And please, Stand Up Against Hate. Tell your Congressmember to pass The Matthew Shepard Act.