Newspaper Page Text
February 15,1990 • Southern Voice! 19
NEWS
Hate Crimes Bill Passes Senate, Helms' anti-gay amendment loses 19-77
by Cliff O'Neill
Washington — The U.S. Senate, Feb. 8 passed the Hate
Crimes Statistics Act by a landslide 92-4 vote, overcoming
an anti-gay amendment from Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) by an
almost equally lopsided vote.
The bill (S. 419), which the House passed by an over
whelming majority last year, would direct the U.S.
Department of Justice to collect statistics on violent crimes
motivated by bias based on rage, religion, ethnicity or sexual
orientation. The measure now goes on to the White House for
the signature of President Bush, who has repeatedly given it
his support.
"When myths stir hatred and fear, then great harm can be
done," stated Sen.. Paul Simon (D—Ill.), the lead sponsor of
the bill. "Hitler is an example and history is loaded with other
examples of unprincipled people, troubled by hates and fears,
who sometime lead others to hate and fear. The ultimate
result of hatred is fear and violence."
Sen.. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the bill's lead Republican
sponsor described a series of anti-gay and other hate-motivat
ed crimes, stating, "I think these incidents are disgusting and
outrageous. I think every member of the Senate thinks these
incidents against homosexuals are disgusting and outra
geous."
The vote in the Senate came after a lengthy debate on two
amendments which sought to clarify the bill's stance on
homosexuality. The bill's lead sponsors, Simon and Hatch,
agreed with Helms that each would introduce only one
amendment.
As Helms repeatedly insisted that the bill would manifest
the "imprimatur" of the Senate on homosexuality, sodomy
law repeal, lesbian and gay rights and the "teaching" of
homosexuality in public schools, both Hatch and Simon
sought to preempt the North Carolina Republican with their
own four part amendment.
After being delayed for a last minute rewrite when lesbian
and gay lobbyists expressed concern with the original
Hatch/Simon amendment's generous use of the term
"traditional family life," that amendment was changed to state
that the government should support "American family life"
and emphasize that the bill does not "promote or encourage"
homosexual behavior.
Surprising many who had expected Helms to oppose the
Hatch/Simon measure as preempting his own, Helms quickly
declared the proposal a "nice statement" and asked to co
sponsor it himself. It went on to pass 96-0.
Helms, however, did not back off from introducing his
own amendment, a four-part, non binding "sense of the
Senate" rider. His amendment—the chief reason for the
Senate's nearly one year delay on the bill—declared the
"homosexual movement" a threat to the American family,
suggested that state sodomy laws be enforced, opposed any
and all gay and lesbian anti-discrimination laws and stated
that school programs should not describe homosexuality as an
"acceptable alternative lifestyle."
While acknowledging that he is not in favor of
lesbian and gay civil rights, Hatch stated with
passion, "I know I can agree with them (lesbian
and gay rights activists) on one thing... They
deserve to be treated like human beings."
After Helms spoke singularly in support of his amend
ment—once again describing his rider as a campaign year ref
erendum on homosexuals and sodomy law repeal—the mea
sure went down to defeat 19—77.
The floor debate was visibly marked by Helms' repeated
attacks on the bill and on the "homosexual-lesbian" commu
nity.
"We don't need this legislation which won't do anything,"
Helms stated, "This bill won't do any good."
Calling the bill "deceptive" Helms further described it as
the "flagship of the homosexual-lesbian agenda" quoting
three times from the New York Native —which he described
as the "official organ" of the "homosexual-lesbian" move
ment—a publication that had called the Hate Crimes bill the
first step towards passage of the federal gay and lesbian rights
law.
Helms also described in lurid detail a 1988 kiss-in staged
by members of the Gay and Lesbian Freedom Ride in his
Raleigh, N.C. offices. He claimed that "militant homosexu
als" entered his office two-by-two and committed "unspeak
able acts" in front of his secretaries. Stating that the "ladies"
in his office were shocked by the demonstration, Helms
announced that he had since installed "sensors" in his office
to keep such an event from happening again.
Helms described, in equal detail, the December demon
stration where "thousands of militant homosexuals," as he put
it, "slithered" into New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral, and
called the lack of national media coverage of the event a
"conspiracy of silence" to censor negative news stories about
homosexuals.
Nor did Helms spare gay and lesbian groups from direct
attack. He mentioned the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force half a dozen times and blasted the Human Rights
Campaign Fund and New York's Gay and Lesbian Anti
Violence Project. NGLTFs Kevin Berrill, Boston’s Gay and
Lesbian Advocates and Defenders Kevin Cathcart and
GLAVP former director David Wertheimer were also the tar
gets of derisive comments from the Tarheel conservative.
Leading the anti-Helms challenge was Hatch, who
opposed Helms repeatedly and with seeming great convic
tion. While acknowledging that he is not in favor of lesbian
and gay civil rights, Hatch stated with passion, "I know I can
agree with them (lesbian and gay rights activists) on one
thing... They deserve to be treated like human beings."
Obituary
Jonathan Benov
Jonathan D. Benov of Smyrna died of
complications of AIDS on Jan. 8, 1990.
Surviving are his significant other of 11
years, Luis Ferrer, daughter Liza Campbell
Ferrer, friends Marv and Judy Colbs, Atlanta
and all his extended and supportive family in
Atlanta.
Contributions to his memory may be
made to Parents & Friends of Lesbians and
Gays Atlanta, P.O. Box 8643, Atlanta 30306
or Project Open Hand, St. Bartholomews
Episcopal Church, 1790 La Vista Rd. NE,
Atlanta 30329.
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