Via The Gavel: Rep. Frank: “I want to address the motion to delay. Mr. Speaker, we say here that we don't take things personally, and usually tha
November 7, 2007

Via The Gavel:

Rep. Frank: “I want to address the motion to delay. Mr. Speaker, we say here that we don't take things personally, and usually that’s true. Members, Mr. Speaker, will have to forgive me — I take it personally. 35 years ago, I filed a bill that tried to get rid of discrimination based on sexual orientation. As we sit here today, there are millions of Americans in states where this is not the law. By the way, 19 states have such a law. In no case has it led to that decision. The Massachusetts law passed in 1989, that did not lead to the decision in 2004, unrelated. But here’s the deal: I used to be someone subject to this prejudice. And through luck, circumstance, I got to be a big shot. I’m now above that prejudice. But I feel an obligation, to 15-year-olds dreading to go to school because of the torments, to people they’ll lose their job in a gas station if someone finds out who they love. I feel an obligation to use the status I have been lucky enough to get, to help them. And I want to ask my colleagues here, Mr. Speaker, on a personal basis, please don’t fall for this sham. Don’t send me out of here having failed to help those people.”

This is an encouraging sign and something I hope we see a lot more of from our representatives in the future. Discrimination is wrong, period. White House staffers reportedly had their hands in the bill, assisting with language dealing with religious exemptions; what does that mean for President Bush? Will he veto the bill? Think Progress has more.

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