You know what, Senator Crapo? Fuck you. Just, fuck you.
I sent Senator Crapo an email a week or so ago. I didn't think to save it, so I can't post what I sent. In essence, the letter asked him why I'm a second class citizen and why he wants to keep me that way. He is not down with signing the reform of ENDA (which would prohibit discrimination against the queer and genderqueer).
His response (with bolded comments from yours truly)
Ms. Sarah Litman
Dear Sarah:
Thank you for contacting me to regarding your support for S. 1584, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and welcome the opportunity to respond.
S. 1584 was introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) on August 5, 2009. This bill would expand current prohibitions against workforce discrimination to include an individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. This legislation has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where it awaits further action.
As you know, there is an effort being made to amend current civil rights legislation to expand coverage to include sexual orientation. Furthermore, an effort is being made to garner support for hate crime legislation that would allow the federal government to become involved in cases that otherwise would be handled at the state level. I have long opposed efforts to expand the federal government's powers to regulate matters currently and rightfully handled by the states. You know what? THAT ISN'T WORKING. Idaho is NOT going to pass a law banning discrimination. We have TRIED. And been shot down MANY times. And it's in states where these things DON'T pass that need it most. Also stop with the state's rights bullshit. This isn't a law on how to use our water or what types of businesses can be run. This is about the rights of PEOPLE, not the STATE.
All Americans should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. As a basic principle, any person convicted of injuring another individual should be punished as provided by law. This should be applied equally and without regard to race, religion, or sexual orientation. This is a guiding principle established in our Constitution. Oooookay. So you support non discrimination but you're voting against it anyway...? Seriously. Constitution is not individualized by state. Thereby, anything in the Constitution should be used for every state, not just the ones who decide they want to. This is a clear and obvious contradiction.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to contact me in the future on this or other matters of interest to you. For more information about the issues before the U.S. Senate as well as news releases, photos, and other items of interest, please visit my Senate website, http://crapo.senate.gov. I'll probably contact you again when I'm less enraged. Fuck.
Sincerely,
Mike Crapo
United States Senator
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's just spewing bullshit with this "state's rights" crap. Even if he believes in that, the only reason he said that? He just doesn't want to sound like a fucker and say "gays suck that's why I'm voting against their basic human rights."
His response (with bolded comments from yours truly)
Ms. Sarah Litman
Dear Sarah:
Thank you for contacting me to regarding your support for S. 1584, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and welcome the opportunity to respond.
S. 1584 was introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) on August 5, 2009. This bill would expand current prohibitions against workforce discrimination to include an individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. This legislation has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where it awaits further action.
As you know, there is an effort being made to amend current civil rights legislation to expand coverage to include sexual orientation. Furthermore, an effort is being made to garner support for hate crime legislation that would allow the federal government to become involved in cases that otherwise would be handled at the state level. I have long opposed efforts to expand the federal government's powers to regulate matters currently and rightfully handled by the states. You know what? THAT ISN'T WORKING. Idaho is NOT going to pass a law banning discrimination. We have TRIED. And been shot down MANY times. And it's in states where these things DON'T pass that need it most. Also stop with the state's rights bullshit. This isn't a law on how to use our water or what types of businesses can be run. This is about the rights of PEOPLE, not the STATE.
All Americans should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. As a basic principle, any person convicted of injuring another individual should be punished as provided by law. This should be applied equally and without regard to race, religion, or sexual orientation. This is a guiding principle established in our Constitution. Oooookay. So you support non discrimination but you're voting against it anyway...? Seriously. Constitution is not individualized by state. Thereby, anything in the Constitution should be used for every state, not just the ones who decide they want to. This is a clear and obvious contradiction.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to contact me in the future on this or other matters of interest to you. For more information about the issues before the U.S. Senate as well as news releases, photos, and other items of interest, please visit my Senate website, http://crapo.senate.gov. I'll probably contact you again when I'm less enraged. Fuck.
Sincerely,
Mike Crapo
United States Senator
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's just spewing bullshit with this "state's rights" crap. Even if he believes in that, the only reason he said that? He just doesn't want to sound like a fucker and say "gays suck that's why I'm voting against their basic human rights."