Along party lines.

Boring, but important.

The Matthew Sheppard Act defines a hate crime as "violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Today, July 21, 2009, the Matthew Sheppard Act passed the US Senate with a 62 to 38 vote.

Of the 59 Democratic Senators, 57 of them voted "Yes". Two did not vote. Robert Byrd of West Virginia did not participate in the vote. Apparently he is mostly dead. Ted Kennedy did not attend todays' vote, although he is the official sponsor of the bill. He must be pretty bad off today. I hope it is just a really severe hangover. Thank you for getting this thing started tho, Uncle Teddy.

The only Independent, Sanders voted with the Democrats. And will still drink alone tonight.

Of the 40 Republican Senators: 28 voted "NO". They then quickly cried Voter irregularities, since the Democratic total did not indicate the 5/8th vote of Senator Roland Burris. What? I'm being told that African-American votes count as a full person now. When did THAT happen? Senator Byrd was present for THAT vote.

Seven Republicans did not vote. Including Florida's own Mel Martinez, a renowned homophobe. I pray he was stuck in "Argentina" (and by Argentina I mean a vagina) Also not voting, South Carolina's own 'lil pixie Sen. Lindsay Graham. Although he did have time to speak out today supporting a bill that would allow anyone that had the legal right to carry a concealed weapon, in, say, South Carolina, would have the right to carry that firearm in any other state of the union, regardless of the other states higher (ahem, smarter) requirements might be. It is far too easy for me to then picture "Lindsay" then committing a hate crime upon his own nether-regions.
(Update: That dumb-ass piece of legislation was defeated on Wednesday. Thank you great sky Wizard)

Five (dare I say brave?) Republicans voted against the Republican bloc and supported the Hate Crimes bill. Murkowski of Alaska, Lugar of Indiana, both Collins and Snowe of Maine, and Voinovich of Ohio. Three of those Senators? Women.

There are a total of four female Republican Senators.

(Plus Joe Lieberman for five, when he cross-dresses as Elizabeth Dole on Tuesdays and Thursdays, of course. Wednesdays, Fridays and each leap year he does one hell of a Hillary, if perhaps a touch too feminine, though). Thank you Ladies.

Just saying. I think it is pretty cool that some Republicans can vote with their hearts and do what they think is best for their constituents and the country as a whole. Not what is best for their party. Their integrity should be celebrated. But if ONE Fucking Democrat does that and votes against health care, I will personally kick him or her in the vagina.