Friday, February 10, 2012
Idaho Legislature Republican Lawmakers Choose Not to Add the Words
Posted by Andrew Crisp on Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 9:47 AM
After thousands rallied across the state in support of adding the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the Idaho’s Civil Rights Act and Human Rights Act, the Senate State Affairs Committee took up the issue this morning, and quickly shot it down.
Sponsored by Pocatello Democrat Sen. Edgar Malepeai, the measure was designed to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity.
“There’s obviously a lot of people interested in the issues we have,” Nampa Republican Sen. and Committee Chairman Curt McKenzie addressed the crowd, numbering in the hundreds. “With print hearings, we don’t take public testimony. But for every person who signs in, and continues to sign it, that becomes part of our record.”
Malepeai was the sole person testifying on behalf of the bill, and in the hushed committee room, his emotions were evident as he cleared his throat and fought back tears.
“We owe it to those who know and love their gay family members and friends to take this issue seriously and allow them to speak of the harm they see being done in Idaho each day, with the voice of the state saying it is wrong,” said Sen. Malepeai. “As you can see, Mr. Chairman, I’m a little bit emotional about this issue.”
However, the committee failed to print the routing slip, effectively killing the bill. The vote was on strictly party lines. The crowd's response was a collective gasp. As the senators who voted nay exited the room, supporters rushed to the front to put sticky notes on the committee's desk.
Out in the hallway, supporters with "Add the Words, Idaho" T-shirts covered their mouths, and tearfully sang in unison a spontaneous rendition of "We shall Overcome."
Here was the vote:
Aye: Sen. Edgar Malepeai, Sen. Michelle Stennett (both Democrats)
Nay: Sen. Curt McKenzie, Sen. Russell Fulcher, Sen. Bart Davis, Sen. John McGee, Sen. Chuck Winder, Sen. Patti Anne Lodge.
Comments (21)
Showing 1-21 of 21
I am angry and I am upset. Why does Idaho care so little for some of it's citizens?
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I am done being respectful. The senators who voted down this most basic legislation are cowards and bigots. Their repeated unwillingness to protect those who most need protection is despicable. This is a ground swell. Just as civil rights during the 1960's prevailed, so will this effort.
It's sickening that Idaho allows such bigots to represent its citizens. I know so many people who strive for equality and justice, and I know many more who just want to live and let live. These elected officials choose to allow discrimination and hatred to continue to breed in our state unchecked. Shame on you, Senator McKenzie, and shame on you, fellow Nampans, for bringing him back to this post.
I'm not trying to be glib here, but perhaps your state should vote a bit more Democratic? Expecting Republicans to cross party lines in this highly partisan time is way too difficult. And for whatever reason, the Republican Party is entrenched in continuing it's defense of bigotry...
Beth, With all the Mormons and Mountain People who live here, I'm surprised we have as much Democrats as we do.
The interesting thing, Mikey, is that the LDS church supported anti-discrimination legislature in Salt Lake City. Any Mormon legislature members that voted against this is going against the position of their own church.
But reminding the legislature here about the decision in SLC has apparently done no good. I guess Idaho wants to continue being viewed as Washington's and Oregon's drunk uncle - you feel sorry for him, but you kind of just wish he'd get his act together.
These congress people are not bigoted nor cowardly. They care deeply for their constituents and that is why they voted "no" to elevating abhorrent and criminally dangerous behavior to a "right".
You can still do all the gerbil-jamming you want. Simply do it in privacy and stop bragging about it!
I would gerbil-jam in privacy...except that I can't find an apartment that will house me and my gerbil-jamming partner because it's still legal for landlords to deny me housing. Or if I could pay for a private place to gerbil-jam...since I lost my job because of my gerbil-jamming ways.
"Bigoted" and "cowardly" are the NICE things to say about the actions of these abhorrent Senators. Some that are less nice, but more accurate, include: "stupid," "anti-American," and "bat sh** crazy."
Funny but I would think "bat sh** crazy" would be a more apt description of you. Better yet, to be more accurate, perhaps "gerbil sh** crazy" ! ! ! ! !
I wonder, sir, if you might be aware that when you resort to ad hominem attack as you did in your above email, you demonstrate and in effect admit that you cannot argue on the merits.
So, I was a lesbian living in north Idaho, Coeur d'Alene to be precise, and was a practicing attorney. My partner beat the wholly living crap out of me, and the Kootenai County Prosecutor's refused to file felony domestic abuse charges because they "had a policy against filing felony domestic abuse cases in same sex relationships." She left me with a profound traumatic brain injury that has cost me most of my hearing, part of my eye sight, some of my speech, and my love of Idaho. I wish the whole state would implode. Reese Sterett was the prosecutor who perpetuated this lie Idaho Republicans are nothing but Nazis in disguise. Screw them all.
After reading my press tribune this morning i was surprised to read that our rep. Russ Fulcher denied this to go farther due to his OWN fundamental belief system. I wanna know when is became OK to decide on a bill that affects so many OTHER PEOPLE by your own personal beliefs? This goes for anyone deciding mine or my family fate, I think this is so WRONG! We need OPEN MINDED people in these positions of our government because our world is changing we need people that can pass laws that have the best interest of ALL PEOPLE and to not be JUDGED by someone else own FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF SYSTEM!
They weren't open minded in ny, where I was 2 months ago, till the lovely humans there showed the city council the error of their ways. I've been listening to this crap for many years now and still can't keep from laughing when this stupid stuff goes down. It keeps me from crying about all the suffering that has happened previously. What fools think they own the right to right? Gerbil jammers may sound funny to klack, but thems fightin words, so keep your opinions about who is compassionate to your own self and lock your self in a monastery. And keep mr gingrich from dancing on tables when his extramarital affairs become public. That would be keeping it private enough for most of us.
So Christa, you "was a lesbian . . . " That's means you are not one now so you must have seen the light and changed that abhorrent behavior?
Idaho... how sad and backward you are. Hostile climate for a huge number of people? I can bet you will see a lot of backlash over this. You should have just added the words. Senator Craig would have thanked you.
I am heartened by the positive comments here in support of arguments that were essentially decided in the 60s regarding discrimination. The legislators today have shown that they didn't read the context of the discrimination laws as our "nations" goal is equality for all citizens. When are they up for re-election? It is time to look for candidates that will be open minded and intellectual in their law making instead of the good old boys club Idaho is suffering with now. I see a great many hypocrites in those chambers.
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