Yesterday afternoon the Assembly Education Committee, on a party-line vote, passed SB 572, Senator Mark Leno’s bill that will declare every May 22 Harvey Milk Day in California. CRFI anticipated the bill would pass the committee, just as it did last. CRFI also has come to expect abusive treatment at the hands of the arrogant lawmakers on legislative committees. Yesterday’s hearing was no exception.
CRFI’s Karen England, along with two other witnesses representing pro-family groups, was ridiculed and bullied by Democrats on the Assembly Education Committee. Homosexual Assemblyman Tom Ammiano called the pro-family witnesses “stupid,” “ignorant,” and labeled their arguments “ludicrous.” The bill’s author stated that a Harvey Milk Day in schools is necessary because of the hate speech the pro-family witnesses had engaged in during the committee hearing. Even more disturbing, several of the other Democrats on the committee stated that schools-not the home-are the places to teach tolerance and acceptance of homosexuals.
“Since when is it bigoted and hateful to share one’s traditional values in a public government hearing?” asked England. “No wonder good, decent people are scared to speak out; they’ve been bullied into silence by the intolerance of those hypocritically preaching tolerance.”
“The lawmakers’ behavior yesterday is the very reason we don’t believe they are simply trying to stop hate, intolerance and bullying in our schools,” continued England. “They engage in the very behavior they claim to want to end. They were rude, arrogant bullies.”
The chairman of the committee, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, was clearly undisturbed by the outrageous behavior of members of her committee. Instead of instructing the members to treat committee witnesses with respect, she allowed them to take 15 minutes bashing the citizens who had come to share their perspective on a controversial measure.
“The whole purpose of committee hearings is to hear from the public, not be ridiculed by arrogant legislators,” explained England. “These hearings should at least pretend to be unbiased. And there is absolutely no excuse for elected leaders to berate citizens when they come to participate in the process. Committee hearings should not be a commercial for one side’s cause.”
CRFI anticipates SB 572 will eventually make its way to the governor’s desk. Please begin calling Governor Schwarzenegger and urge him to once again veto Harvey Milk Day. His reasons for vetoing the same bill last year are still sound.
Governor Schwarzenegger (916) 445-2841
In addition to the governor, call Assemblyman Ammiano and ask him why he thinks it’s alright to bully and belittle citizens when they come to testify on behalf of California families.
Assemblyman Ammiano (916) 319-2013
Also call Assemblywoman Brownley and ask why she allowed members of her committee to attack and ridicule witnesses in her committee hearing. As the chairman, she has the power to ensure all witnesses are treated with respect. Why didn’t she treat her witnesses with respect during the Harvey Milk Day hearing?
Assemblywoman Brownley (916) 319-2041
Read SB 572
Senate Votes for SB 572
Watch CRI’s Louder than Silence
