State Senator: Michigan ‘Anti-Bullying’ Law Actually Outlines ‘How To Get Away With Bullying’

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by Alex Alvarez | 2:30 pm, November 4th, 2011

» 14 comments

East Lansing’s Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) made an emotional speech to her colleagues regarding her feelings for Michigan’s “Matt’s Safe School Law.” The law, named after a gay Michigan teen who took his own life in 2002, effectively permits the harassment of individuals as long as that harassment is borne of a “religious or moral” conviction. The obvious example here is the antagonization of gay young people by those who purport to believe that homosexuality is wrong on religious or moral grounds.

In her address to her colleagues, Whitmer called the passage of this law her “lowest point, personally,” and chided Republicans for, as she saw it, injecting politics into the passage of “Matt’s Safe School Law:”

You may be able to pat yourselves on the backs today and say that you did something. But in actuality, you’re explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying. Your exceptions have swallowed the rule.

As passed today, bullying kids is ok if a student, parent, teacher or school employee can come up with a moral or religious reason for doing it. But bullying is not ok. We should be passing public policy that protects kids — all kids — from bullies. All bullies.

“So this might solve a political problem that the Republicans have,” she continued, “but be clear: You are papering over the problem that is a reality faced by hundreds of kids in Michigan schools every day.”

Have a look at Whitmer’s speech, via Senate TV:

Anti-Bullying Law, Gretchen Whitmer, Matt's Safe School Law, Michigan

Anonymous

Goes to show who the real fucked up people in this country are….
Independent Eyes on America

no it shows that Christians who believe it’s wrong aren’t bullying…just because people think it’s morally wrong and voice their opinion should not be punished for it….remember freedom of speech
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dane-Jackson/1140902213 Dane Jackson

yea instead they, the “Christians” should be punishing the ppl they disagree with. twisted logic.
Joan Bailey

Speech? If only it were speech. It’s verbal abuse. Who would Jesus bully? Republicans simply don’t get it.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SMUGSPLRKQOJBS5T6I4S5H2YSE Andy-48

Let’s see…You’re using the Abomination verse.

If you are a woman who wears a Latex bra underneath her cotton blouse. She is an abomination unto God.
If you are a man who wears underwear with an elastic waistband you are an abomination unto God.
Wearing two different fabrics is an abomination unto God.

If you believe that you should keep the Sabbath holy..Are you still watching Football on Sunday’s?
Why haven’t you gone to a game and smitten the players?

There are more, but I thought you’d like to see just a few of them.
http://twitter.com/Ziggyboy77 Johnnie Dorman

How would these so called Christians like it if gay people went around saying to Christian school kids that they are wrong for being Christians?
http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

If leftists had their way, they would pass an online bullying law that only applied to picking on specific protected individuals.

It is not okay to pick on say gays, but okay to pick on fundies or say teabaggers or say republicons.

It is just another protected class type law where if something happens, the leftists in the DA offices can go all out.

The author for the laws written up for Europe and Canada has asked for people to step back and see how these laws are being used. Next thing you know they will force everyone to take indoctrination courses on gays in history.

OH WAIT! They already HAVE!

Give me a frelling break.
http://twitter.com/Ziggyboy77 Johnnie Dorman

LGBT
kids in don’t run around telling Christian children in school that
their opinion is that being Christian is wrong. We expect Christian
children to do likewise by not running around telling LGBT children
that they are wrong for being LGBT. It’s that simple, if you can even
understand THAT MUCH, hayseed.
Michael S.

They do, it’s just not reported in the MSM.
Tess

I do completely agree that this bill has many missing items. I do not agree, however, with the statement claiming that “Christians bully LGBT”. Not every group member follows what a group says. That is a steriotypical statement, and is bullying towards Christians. As a Catholic, I sometimes hear at church and my Catholic school that it is “wrong to be gay,” but I hear many more people saying that everyone should be who they want to be and be able to show who they truely are. I believe that being gay is not a choice and is just part of who you are. Everyone should be excepted no matter who they want to be. It is wrong for any person, despite their beliefs or teachings, to bully any other person, depite who they are. In any context, it is wrong. This bill is rediculous, and should be revised to protect any child, or adult, from any type of bullying or harassment.
Tess

I also would like to add that I am a proud Catholic (Christian) Democrat. Not every Christian is a Republican and vice versa.

***Revision: Everyone should be excepted no matter who they ARE.***
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

So what your saying is gays should be bulled that is wrong. And all your other claims baseless without facts or proof. Your putting bad behavior with behavior which is wrong.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

Some stuff will be taken out of law that was some ridiculous stuff in like religious grouds that it was ok to bully which I didn’t get why that was in the bill to begin with.
Pkocmwi

There is a large divide between believing something is wrong and bullying. The way this law is worded it actually would give atheists the right to mercilessly heckle Christian students as long as they had strong moral conviction that the Christians were worshiping an imaginary friend. Crap, who wants this? No Christian wants it. I’m not even sure why a Christian would even want to participate in religious expression that even looked like bullying… unless they thought West Borough Baptist is really on to something.