Tag: Hate Crimes

  • New Hate Crimes Legislation and Discussion Panel

    Yesterday, the Obama Administration signed into law new hate crimes legislation that extends federal protections to victims of hate crimes on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. The law was attached to a military spending measure. When I read the list of groups covered, I found it remarkable that gender and…

  • Hate Crimes Legislation – UPDATED

    Update: Finally up for a vote, 2.5 hours later. Bill goes to full committee. In reality, HB0335, introduced by Memphis Rep. Jeanne Richardson (HD-89) is a pretty simple piece of legislation. It takes TCS 40-35-114 (17) and changes the word “gender” to “gender, or gender identity or expression”. That’s it. Something so seemingly innocuous, a…

  • Shameful

    Representative Steve Cohen walked into what can only be described as an ambush. Last night, at the weekly meeting of the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association, Cohen was attacked for his support of a bill that would provide stiffer penalties for people engaging in hate crimes, by the very people his vote sought to protect. The…