President Obama told University of Notre Dame graduates Sunday that he was inspired by their maturity and responsibility in dealing with the controversy surrounding his giving the school’s commencement address. Too bad more national groups and commentators — both pro-choice and pro-life — don’t always model the same behaviors.
Obama, who was welcomed by the students with loud cheers and respectful applause, spoke about the need to find common ground and to extend the presumption of good faith to others. He called for open hearts, open minds and fair-minded words. And though he acknowledged that some viewpoints about abortion are irreconcilable, differing sides should be able to make their cases with passion and conviction but without “reducing those with differing views to caricature.” As Obama told the students — and everyone should heed — “religion and conviction can co-exist with friendship, civility, hospitality, and especially love.”
After years of unconscionable delay, the House has approved legislation that would, for the first time, extend federal hate-crimes law to give substantive coverage to gay people. The act would be an important step forward in protecting all minorities from violence and a tribute to a young man whose life was cut short by bigotry. The Matthew Shepard Act, as the bill is known in the Senate, would provide increased funding to state and local authorities to prosecute a wide range of hate crimes — ones motivated by race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It would also authorize the federal government to prosecute these crimes when states fail to do so. The biggest beneficiaries would probably be African-Americans, who make up the largest group of hate-crime victims. It would also help Hispanics, who have been increasing targets of anti-immigrant hatred. The bill’s opponents have focused on the protection of gay people, who were the victims in more than 16 percent of the hate crimes reported by the FBI in 2007. In addition to providing more resources, the act would serve an important public education role, underscoring the seriousness and horror of these crimes. After the House’s strong vote — 249 to 175 — in favor of the bill, the Senate needs to follow. — New York Times 
Saying he was motivated by a suggestion by National Intelligence Director Dennis C. Blair that released Chinese detainees receive public assistance, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, explained his No Welfare for Terrorists Act of 2009 in a Friday 
Though their numbers aren’t large, Democrats in the Kansas Legislature had a productive session this year, their leaders contend. Among the achievements cited were raising the state minimum wage, limiting cuts to public education, expanding unemployment benefits, and preventing pay cuts and furloughs for state employees. “By forming bipartisan coalitions within the House and Senate on multiple occasions throughout the session,” said House Minority Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence, “we were able to pass legislation that was important to both sides of the aisle — and to Kansans in need.”Follow us
