A strong anti-bullying measure passed Louisiana’s House Education Committee, opposed, as usual, by the usual wingnuts:
The 8-4 vote, which came over the objections of the Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Baptist Convention, among others, is a victory for the gay rights community. But House Bill 112 by Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, faces uncertain territory as it moves to the full House, generally more conservative than the committee.
The proposal elicited impassioned debate, with Badon and supporters telling lawmakers that existing law doesn’t go far enough to protect students who are mistreated because their classmates decide they are outside the mainstream. Opponents decried the measure as unnecessary, excessive and a de facto endorsement, even promotion of, homosexuality, a characterization that prompted Badon to denounce “the amount of hate I have heard spewed out here today.”
Prepare yourself for this next quote, because Austin Badon, Democrat of New Orleans, is about to become your new favorite legislator:
“Who in the hell gives you the right to decide what is ‘different?'” Badon asked. “I am glad I don’t have that kind of hate in my heart. … I am not trying to promote anything. I am trying to make our schools safe for all students.”
Told you so. Glad to see hate called out for what it is.
