MI Senate Legalizes Anti-Gay Bullying

[metta]

MI Senate Legalizes Anti-Gay Bullying

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDK-ja8PLgg[/ame]

http://www.detnews.com/article/2011...enate-OKs-anti-bullying-bill-despite-protests

 

[mbamike]

"Matt's Safe School Law" passed 26-11 with all Democrats voting against it. The bill is named for Matt Eppling, an East Lansing 14-year-old who committed suicide after being bullied by classmates in 2002.
The law includes a section noting it doesn't abridge First Amendment free speech rights or prohibit expression of religious or moral viewpoints — a provision Democrats fear could be used to justify harassment of gay, lesbian or transgender students.
"I am ashamed that this could be Michigan's bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a 'bullying is OK in Michigan law,'" Kevin Eppling, Matt's father, whose letter was read by Sen. Glenn Anderson during Wednesday's session.


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111103...-bullying-bill-despite-protests#ixzz1cfSv5IK3

Sounds like politics as usual. Legislation that will make the problem worse instead of resolving it.

 

[paatreides]

How terribly sad that Repubs protect bigotry and hate.

God! how I hope they get thrown out of office at the federal level in 2012...

 

[metta]

GOP Senator Drops Religious Exemption in Anti-Bullying Law

http://unicornbooty.com/blog/2011/11/15/gop-senator-drops-religious-exemption-in-anti-bullying-law/

 

[rareboy]

This is great news.

The bill as passed was an affront to decency.

 

[rareboy]

^ I think though that this is a perfect case where the law is intended for deterrence.

Most bullies are actually quite afraid of authority themselves.

Only the truly psychopathic or sociopathic are fearless and likely to have their actions unaffected by the presence of law.

 

[Sam Blum]

So as I was watching the news tonight and listening to the verdict that the judge listening to the New York case Re. protestors ability to freely exercise 1st Amendment rights, I thought about how his words were indirectly related to this. It strikes me that as one judge qualified the right to free speech by reminding the court of a Supreme Court precedent that cites that while the 1st. is broad ranging, it can be limited and has been limited depending on time and space. So while you have a right in the USA to say what you like, you do have precedent that says you can't say whatever you like in whatever manner you like, using whatever delivery you like, wherever you like. There are limits that must be observed in public space, he reminded you all.

For a law to be disingenuously passed (that dishonours a little boy's name and memory) that enshrines the right of people to harass and victimise others, so long as they can explain their motives with political, religious or psychological rationale, is to participate in the bullying on a state level. Oh, hang on - that's right - Razor and Gianni told me that words are just words and nobody should stoop so low as to provoke those who sling insults and humiliate us in case they act even worse and hurt us... There is, apparently, no correlation or connection between people slinging insults and the State institutionalised victimisation that the Nazis practiced. We've nothing to feel anxious of here, guys, nothing to learn from modern history...