If the State Legislature doesn't change course, it will push Indiana into the unholy position of the most hateful State in the Union.
Besides its headlong rush to vilify unions and gut collective bargaining, the Legislature is pushing bigoted anti-GBLT and anti-Latino bills through. I do not know if Governor Mitch Daniels has to sign these bills in order for them to become law. That certainly is a significant question.
HJR 6 seeks to put discrimination into the Indiana State Constitution by banning same sex marriage or civil union, partner benefits, and anything else that can be interpreted as being 'substantially similar to marriage'. This bill passed the House prior to the Democratic Caucus' self-imposed exile to Urbana, IL. There is a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on this bill scheduled for tomorrow, March 16, beginning at 9 am in the Senate Chambers. If it passes this year, it must pass again in either 2013 or 2014. If it passes through the General Assembly a second time, it would have to pass a vote of regular Hoosiers through a public referendum, for the Constitution to be so amended.
SB590 seeks, among other things, to require Indiana's police to ask for proof of legal residency from anyone they 'suspect' could be here as an illegal alien. It is doubtful that a Canadian accent would be deemed sufficiently suspicious. A Spanish accent, however, would certainly qualify the speaker for unconstitutional requests to produce proper papers or be detained (aka, arrested), until such papers could be produced. This bill passed the Senate and has been referred to the House, where the Democrats are in exile.
While I tend to believe that the human rights, the civil rights, and old fashioned decency are enough reason for these bills to be defeated, others bring up economic costs to the State should these bills be enacted.
Gay bashing laws tend to make States less inviting to a very talented and upper income population. This impacts the ability of companies to attract and retain valued employees. This impacts the decision of companies to locate or expand or remain in those States.
Latino bashing laws tend to make States less inviting for tourism; a consequence clearly seen in Arizona. Increased costs for policing efforts are said to be significant and ill considered in this economy at any price.
While the push for these hate-filled laws is illuminating the radical agenda of the Republican controlled General Assembly, these are not issues that attract complete Republican support. There is significant Republican antipathy to both of these bills. This fact alone makes it incumbent upon those Republican Senators and Representatives to do all they can to kill these hate bills.
The Democratic Caucus exile can help with SB590 - but for how long? Additionally, influential Senator Luke Kenley is now asking for amendments, which is a positive sign, but may not mean much to House members who now control that bill.
Thus far, HJR 6 doesn't have any high profile Republican Senators pushing against it. That is a travesty and does a huge disservice to Republicans in the general public who do not support this attack on themselves, their friends, or their family members who are gay or lesbian.
All of the majority's radical agenda is alarming for another reason. While control of the House swaps back and forth from year to year, control of the Senate does not. Should any piece of the radical agenda be passed, it will be years, if not decades, before a Senate could be voted into office that would allow a bill reversing the hate to be considered.
If there ever was a time to call your Senators and Representatives, it is now. Stand up and be counted if you oppose Indiana rocketing to the bottom, to be known and codified as the 'Hate State'.
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Mark Small posted a blog post
4 hours ago
16 comments:
While I agree that the anti-GLBT lef=gislation is an abomination, and the illegal immigrant Bill is completely unnecessary, there is no greater threat to the health of our state government, than government unions.
Combining all these together is disingenous, at best.
If House Democrats really cared about these issues, they wouldn't be hiding in Illinois, they would be using their considerable resources to educate Hoosiers, and bring public opinion to bear on the extremists Republicasn who want to limit the rights of Hoosiers.
I can't see what other real option the D's have to slow down this train. The walkout has raised awareness, I'd say. Providing a quorum only allows the radical agenda to get voted on, one bill at a time. Then we're stuck for years.
I do have to disagree with you on the unions. Workers have a right to pool their efforts to influence their pay, benefits, and work safety -- even if they work for government.
As an Indiana native I know for a fact that if I get pulled over for anything I must show proof of who I am and Proof of insurance, For you to indirectly imply that if someone is Latino it is wrong to expect the same is ludicrous. This is just typical Liberal Race Baiting.
What is wrong with everyone having the same requirements to follow the law? You want to make Hoosiers sound bad because they want people to follow the law they are required to follow every day.
If someone breaks into your home with their children, should they be allowed to live in your house just because they did the crime with their children in tow? There is a Legal way to come to this country. What is wrong with that? Before you pass judgment, let me know how many people you freely let move into your home. If the answer is NONE, then aren't you the hateful one? Why do you not allow people to freely come into your home, eat your food, and sleep in your bed?
What was that?
It is the same thing!
This is our country. I for one have served in a War Zone for this country. I am an American. I have lived and served in twelve countries, and respected the laws of every Country I was in. I tried to learn a workable conversational amount of language in every country I lived in. Even in a country torn by war, I tried every day to respect and follow their laws. The Key Word being RESPECT! If you want to flourish in any country, you first MUST RESPECT their laws. Even in countries like Turkey, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, where I did not agree with all of the Laws, I would have never disregarded any law. I would have never insisted they owe me anything.
I welcome anyone who comes to this country through proper channels, completes the requirements and becomes an American. I welcome all Religions, Colors, orientations, as long as you respect my ability for the same. I have through respect made friends in every country, with all religions.
If you want to come as a student, a worker, or just a visitor I welcome you. I will even try to learn your language if I need to in order to make you feel welcome.
But if you come as a thief in the night, Steeling from my country, belittling my laws, and insisting on some perceived American Rights, I can only remind you that you are the thief. You are the one who thought my laws need not be followed. You want special privilege as a thief to continue to abuse the laws I am required to live by every day. I welcome you to leave.
Of course the only people who are really fighting against this legislation are the ones who want to enslave you to below Minimum wage. Be careful of those who welcome you as a thief and call you friend. They will only take advantage of you as a theif.
These laws are ugly, but they could be passed in at least three-quarters of the states, so "hate state" is hyperbolic.
And Democrats that oppose the majority rule (it is called voting)have the right to pick up and move to a state more to their choosing. For myself, we will stay in Indiana and be rewarded from God for doing smart and correct business.
I'd rather Indiana be ridiculed by some as a "hate state" than to have it become another 3rd World country filled with unemployed, unemployable entitlement collectors whose only job description is to to be bussed to the polls at every election to pull the lever to keep the Democrats in power. I'll concede that the Democrats have some noble goals, but we're fast running out of other people's money for them to give to their supporters. We'll soon be closing hospitals and shutting down government services as they have in California if we don't get a grip on the problem, regardless of how "hateful" people think we are. If anyone thinks that the proposed laws constitute real hate, they are either extremely naive or deliberately putting a Saul Alinsky spin on things.
Where is it in the Constitution that Homosexuals must be allowed to get married. Why do the majority have to loosen their morals and standards so this can happen. We have the greatest gift of all in this state and any other state in the United States, the right to vote, we get to voice our opinion every election day. You cannot have you cake and eat it too, this isn't a right and left issue it is a personal prefrence and enough people do not want this to happen. You have to let Democracy run its course, and this time it is not in your favor so you have 2 options, vote and accept the outcome or run to Illinois and avoid the job you were elected to do. If the word illegal in front of the word immigrant doesn't set off red flags, maybe you don't need to be running for public office. You are all woried about the way people use their land in Decatur Township and make sure they don't devalue the surrounding land, but you are unwilling to accept that illegal immigrants are causing more harm than good. I am not making a political statement this is just common sense
Christopher - anyone a police officer pulls over does need to show a driver's license and registration information. What you do not have to provide is proof of citizenship or, alternatively, a timely visa.
How would you prove you are a citizen?
The proposed law would depend upon an officer deciding who looked or sounded like they may be here illegally. This will simply lead to harassment of a segment of our population, on the off chance that one or two 'illegals' can be rounded up for detention. Meanwhile many law abiding citizens will also be rounded up and detained until they can prove they are citizens.
Again, what papers do you carry to prove citizenship? How would you like it if people who looked like you were detained in jail for not carrying sufficient documentation?
This proposed law taps into the worst biases and prejudices possible.
anon 6:15 -- I intend on staying and fighting these injustices.
anon 6:55 - these proposed laws tap directly into bigotry. Nothing more. They will solve little and cause far more harm than the existing situation.
If you want to look at those giving away other people's money, you need look no further than our current City's Mayor - so there is no Democratic exclusive franchise.
Justin - If a person believes that they should not marry a person of the same sex, then they can simply refrain from doing so. Why should one person's personal beliefs bar another person from having the basic human right of choosing their own partner in life?
Plus, it is already illegal for two people of the same sex to marry in Indiana. Why put it in the Constitution? The move does not make anyone more moral.
The proposed immigration law does little to fix any illegal alien problem we have. Instead it creates a far worse problem of detaining people who look or speak a certain way until they can prove citizenship. That is wrong, pure and simple.
As Pat noted, it is very hard to actually prove citizenship with documentation you can carry on you. Part of the reason why this law could work in Arizona is because they switched to SecureID driver's licenses. I don't know the specifics, but somehow, that does prove citizenship. Indiana was going to make the switch, but Daniels backed out, I think because of the cost.
Social Security numbers don't prove citizenship because all sorts of people can get SS #s for tax purposes. Driver's licenses only prove identity, not citizenship. A birth certificate could prove citizenship, but you shouldn't be carrying that around with you.
Finally, if the states gave up ONE power when they formed the federal government, it's to deal with foreign people and foreign powers. We need legal immigration reform in addition to enforcement against illegal immigration. But strangely, all I hear from my GOP friends is "build the fence". They don't seem to have the desire to lessen the beuaracracy to legally get into this country.
As for the argument of same-sex marriage, privileges (such as marriage) and rights should be applied equally across the board. Right now, they aren't. Individual religious institutions can still set their own rules on who can and can't get married, because remmeber, this is civil marriage we're talking about, not a religious one.
All I have to say is that California is wonderful because of its legal immigration; it is a nightmare because of its illegal immigration. If that is what we want, we should continue to ignore the issue and not take proactive action.
I would guess that I disagree with both of your complaints. I very much disagee that it is discrimination to deny homosexuals the right for same sex mariage. In fact they have the same right as everyone to marry Male/Female. Also it is long past time to enforce immigation laws. Here we almost have record unemployement and budgets that are broke and we are supporting illegals with jobs and benefits. We can't afford this. And if it is so bad in their home countries then they should fight to make it better. Instead they take the easy out and come here. I don't support cheap labor for republicans and I don't support cheap votes for the democrats.
homosexualty is not normal...and they don't need to have special rights. and yes i believe you are born that way just as other birth defects occur. Now I'm not saying go out and pick on them. i for one don't care what you do in private (don't want to watch hetros either in public).
This state if full of hate in general. I have never been around a more judgmental lot in my life. The only explanation I can come up with is maybe they are just really really bored, or have an inferiority complex?. Not a whole lot of diversity nor much to do except gossip and backstab each other. Overall,I found them to be very closed minded people.Seems like a waste to me!
I do find it funny that someone mentioned that they would rather have Indiana called a hate state than become a 3rd world country full of unemployed self entitlement collectors as if the folks of Indiana are "above" other people of the world like it is some kind of refined intellectual/cultural mecca that has influenced the world at large,ridiculous view of themselves that is totally laughable to most people who have lived and traveled all over the world.That comment sums up the people right there.SORRY BUT THAT IS TOO FUNNY!
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