GOP Congresswoman: Bullying Laws Unconstitutional

[William769]

A Republican running for a U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico said that legislation that could protect LGBT students against bullying would criminalize children for teasing each other for having red hair or being too short.

Rep. Heather Wilson said at a candidate debate last week that the Student Non-Discrimination Act introduced by Sen. Al Franken would violate the First Amendment if enacted. SDNA would protect students against antigay bullying, just as all students are protected from bullying under the basis of race or gender. Wilson even mocked her own deep voice, sarcastically saying that she has "never" been made fun of for it.

"...[A]s parents we have to deal with [bullying] and strengthen our children to be comfortable with themselves and also to show empathy and acceptance towards others, but that particular act is so broad it would actually punish children and say that it’s prohibited to express an opinion with respect to homosexuality in the schools," she said. "I just think that’s wrong and it’s a violation of the First Amendment."

http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Election/GOP_Congresswoman_Bullying_Laws_Unnecessary/

I guess since they seem to be losing the marriage equality argument, this is going to be their next mantra.

[yellerpup]

1. Of course she finds bullying laws unacceptable.

That's what bullies do.

[William769]

2. WORDS MATTER!

[h1]PASS IT ON![/h1]

[closeupready]

11. But wait! WHOSE words matter? Huh, bully?

[William769]

12. That one still has me scratching my head.

I guess some people just don't like being called out for being a bully.

They love to do it, but hate that it's brought out in the open when they do it.

There is a term for that, but I'm to nice of a person to use it.

[SheilaT]

3. What amazes me the most about

the toleration of bullying in schools, is that such behavior mostly would not be acceptable in the workplace. Yeah, I know that workplace bullying does occur, but it isn't often as vicious, constant, and tolerated.

My older son was bullied in elementary school, although not viciously. He was quiet and shy and smart. Asperger's Syndrome, I eventually figured out in his senior year. At his local school he wound up friendless and no one would sit with him at lunch. There were actually some incidents that I learned of later of kids getting up and leaving the lunch table when he arrived. We wound up moving him to an independent school starting in 7th grade, where his smartness was valued, he had friends, and no one left the lunch table when he sat down with them.

In the greater scheme of things, what he went through wasn't so bad, but even that should not have happened.

I do know that another mother who worked as a lunchroom lady, if she saw it happening, would not allow the other kids to leave when my son sat down with them. She was actually the one who suggested we get him out of the public school. I was very fortunate - he was very fortunate - that we had that choice.

[msongs]

4. so what religion does she practice? oh, that one lol nt

[Initech]

5. This only furthers my theory that today's bullies = tomorrow's republicans.

[The Philosopher]

6. Am I the only one

who sees this same argument being played out in H&M? By Democrats?

[William769]

7. See post #2.

[The Philosopher]

8. lol

with a snort.

[Doctor_J]

9. "Pro-bullying Republicans"

should make an excellent campaign slogan for the fall

[MerryBlooms]

10. Yet another embarrassment to humanity. Is it wrong to wish

she and her ilk would just disappear?