Violence Against Women Act renewal - 24 February, 2012

"The objections, led by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and a few conservative organizations are ... over a few new provisions in the reauthorization -- specifically, protections for LGBT individuals, undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic abuse and the authority of Native American tribes to prosecute crimes."

Sen. Grassley goes on to say, "The [VAWA update] creates so many new programs for underserved populations that it risks losing focus on helping victims, period," he said of the new LGBT protections, adding, "If every group is a priority, no group is a priority."

Those statements by Sen. Grassley make me extremely uncomfortable and disappointed in Sen. Grassley and the GOP/general population who back/agree with him. As Chairman Leahy (D-Vt) states, "You cannot say that we will seek to stop domestic violence, but only for certain people. It just boggles the mind. It goes against everything I ever knew as a prosecutor, but it also goes against everything I know as a human being." 

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