Obama signs Hate Crimes Bill, Lifts HIV Travel Ban

Well, if you're a loyal devotee of the worst gay political blog in the world, Queerty.com, you might have missed that it was a good week for Gays and people of the world with HIV. Althought this may not matter to you, it matters to me.

On Wednesday, President Obama signed an epannsion of the Federal Hate Crimes Law. It now protects the disabled, and people based on their sexual orientation or gender indentification. Some people don't understand the need for this. What they don't understand is that a crime perpetuated against one of these people is not just a crime against that person, it is the victimization of an entire community, an entire class of people.

Also this week, President Obama reversed a nearly 22 year old travel ban on people enterting the U.S. who were HIV+. In 1987, the U.S. health officials added HIV/AIDS to the list of communicable diseases that could prevent a person from entering the country. Congress, in 1993, codified the ban into law, which was signed by President Bill Clinton.

It was long past time for that to be lifted with all the education that now exists about the disease.

Good work President Obama. We're still waiting on DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell, and there are indications that things are going in the right direction on DADT (read here).