Sources for Bilerico and Pam’s House Blend have learned that the hate crimes bill currently working its way through the Senate will most likely be attached to a defense authorization package, since there are not enough votes to pass it as a standalone bill. Hate crimes legislation was shelved back in 2007 when this same tactic was used. From Bil Browing at Bilreco:

Remember how well that worked out for us last time?

Congressmembers can use our lives to bargain for bombs and defense spending instead of simply affirming our dignity as human beings worthy of safety from persecution and violence if hate crimes are added to the defense authorization.

You need to call your Senator NOW and ask them to save the hate crimes bill from certain death! If it’s added to the defense authorization bill it will be the death of hate crimes this year.

You can look up your Senator’s direct phone number here or call (202) 224-3121 and tell them to SAVE THE HATE CRIMES BILL.

And at a hearing on hate crimes this morning Attorney General Eric Holder voiced support for the bill even as some Democrats displayed an abundance of ignorance, repeating the same tired meme that hate crimes would curb the free speech of churches and people of faith. From AP:

… Democratic lawmaker, Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, both voiced concerns that the bill could be used to prosecute a church leader who speaks out against homosexuality, if a member of their congregation then assaults a gay person.

“This is a bill to hold people accountable for conduct, not for speech,” Holder insisted.

Update: Myself and other blogs have unfortunately mischaracterized Durbin’s comments based on the AP article. After watching the hearings it was clear that Durbin was characterizing questions posed by his constituents and not necessarily his personal views.

Judy and Dennis Shepard, parents of Matthew Shepard for whom the act is named, appeared on CNN defending the hate crimes bill. Watch:

Please contact your senator and urge them to support S. 909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

Baby Be-Bop, a coming of age story about a young man who discovers he is gay, has been targeted by Wisconsin Christian group calling it vulgar, racial and anti-Christian, and wants the book burned.

Yes. Burned. More from Salon.com:

Now an outfit called the Christian Civil Liberties Union has gotten in on the act, suing the library for, according to the West Bend Daily News, “damaging” the “mental and emotional well-being” of several individuals by displaying “Baby Be-Bop” in the library. Since attempts to label the novel as “pornographic” have failed, the (somewhat shadowy) CCLU hopes to brand it as hate speech, in part because it contains the word “nigger.” The complainants, described as “elderly” by the newspaper, claim that Block’s novel is “explicitly vulgar, racial [sic] and anti-Christian.” They want the library’s copy not only removed but publicly burned.

“Baby Be-Bop,” a title from the Weetzie Bat series that describes the youth of Weetzie’s best friend, Dirk, is, in Block’s [author] words, “a very sweet, simple, coming-of-age story about a young man’s discovery that he’s gay.” Dirk is beaten by gay bashers but steadfastly clings to the possibility of finding love. Block finds the disingenuous charges of racism particularly distressing. “Obviously I use those words, including ‘faggot,’ which is also in the book, to expose racism and homophobia, not promote it,” she said. “It’s a tiny little book,” she added, “but they want to burn it like a witch.”

No Dorothy, it’s not the 1930s. It’s the 21st century. At least outside of West Bend, Wisconsin.

In the video clip below, a West Bend man advocates burning Baby Be-Bop and similar book.:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and HRC President Joe Solmonese speak at a press conference on soon-to-be-passed hate crimes legislation.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuldELb9KDs[/youtube]

A full thirteen days after Rep. Virginia Fox testified that the anti-gay motive behind Matthew Shepard’s murder was a hoax, and that his death was being used advance hate crimes legislation, the Republican Congresswoman from North Carolina sent a letter of “apology” to Matthew’s mother Judy Shepard who was in attendance during her remarks. Let’s remind ourselves what Foxx said…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWm2zGTZBM0[/youtube]

Foxx’s written apology comes after multiple days of backtracking and damage control as her offices struggled with the flood of criticism received because of her remarks.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation has confirmed receipt of the letter but has refused to comment on it, choosing instead to focus on  getting the hate crimes legislation passed.