Sen. Lamar Alexander: why do anything for LGBT kids when we can do nothing at all?
Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota
tried Tuesday to attach his anti-bullying measure to an education bill currently being debated in the Senate, but it failed to meet the 60-vote threshold, instead garnering just
52 votes.
Though six Republicans voted in favor of the measure, Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee helped rally his colleagues against the measure, which would have banned bullying and discriminating against students in public schools based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“There’s no doubt bullying or harassment of children based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity is a terrible problem . . .,” he said. “But the question is, is this best addressed by the local school board or the national school board in Washington, D.C.?” [...]
He called Franken’s amendment “well-intentioned” but said it would lead to “costly lawsuits,” which prompted Franken to jump to his feet.
Totes, Lamar. Just cuz those kids are getting beaten and harassed, we don't want to gum up the works with all those pesky lawsuits. Forget about the kids who commit suicide cuz they're bullied. Inaction is the best action! What a crock. Anyone who doesn't support protecting kids has blood on their hands. May they rest easy at night.
But apparently Republicans just don't think gay and transgender kids are worth it, even though federal statute protects other kids on the basis of race, national origin, gender and disability. Franken reminded his colleagues of that from the floor.
“If a black child was referred to by a racial slur at school, would we say kids will be kids?” Franken said on the Senate floor as debate began Monday. “If a Jewish student got beat up because he wore a yarmulke to school, would we wave it off and say boys will be boys? If a shop teacher told a female student she didn’t belong in his class, would we be fine if the school just looked the other way? No, we would not. In fact, there are federal civil rights laws that are specifically designed to stop this kind of conduct.”
This was the first congressional vote on an LGBT measure since the historic Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, but 45 Republicans couldn't even find it their hearts to extend comfort and protection to some of our nation's most vulnerable: LGBT kids. The GOP—the party of moral values—never disappoints.