Preternatural Rights Act of 2010

The History of Cameron's Law

In February of 2009, a young Harvard Law student named Cameron St John convinced a congressman from Massachusetts to propose a bill to the House of Representatives that would make preternatural beings legal citizens of the United States. Cameron was a werewolf. The congressman was human, but was married to a werewolf. (This was how they knew each other.) Naturally, the bill was met with derisiveness and incredulity. Cameron and the congressman's wife, however, were able to convince the House that this was a real bill and the strangest series of government talks began and led to conflict in government and in the people unlike anything seen since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. In both places, the path followed was parallel. (Like the civil rights act, the commerce clause was put into affect again.)

The bill began in the House and moved to Committee to Hearings to Vote. It passed in the House and moved to the Senate, where it went to Committee to Debate to Vote. It passed again and moved to Dual Conference to Adoption/Passing and finally was Signed into law on May 6, 2010, roughly fifteen months after the process began.

During the Hearings in the House, several preternaturals came forward and allowed themselves to be tested medically to assure that they were what they said they were. Protests began both for and against the motion. The preternatural gathered and organized. There were petitions and the media used. They spoke at the Hearings, pleading to be recognized as legal beings like anyone else. There were 'preternatural sit-ins' where preternaturals in human and animal forms would silently protest their right to be alive and be present, and would often be joined by human supporters. Cameron was the leading edge of the movement, but his vampire girlfriend - Sadie Stanton - was not far behind him. There were others, but these two led the charge, in many ways. Protests on the 'against' side were vicious and violent. Many preternaturals who came forward were attacked, and few even fought back. They were afraid that any injuries from their side would damage their cause. Deaths were very rare, thanks to their healing, but they did happen on a few tragic occasions. Some humans who supported them were targets as well, but to a lesser degree.

One of these tragic deaths would, sadly, be Cameron himself. While out on a celebratory dinner after hearing news that the bill had been adopted, they were attacked. Sadie barely survived, but Cameron wasn't so lucky. He died at the age of twenty-eight, just weeks before the President signed the bill into Law and before he would have graduated from Harvard Law. The official name is the Preternatural Civil Rights Act of 2010, but has also been named Cameron's Law.

Opposition continues and those groups of humans who protested during the legal process have organized. The largest of these groups is called LOHAV: the League of Humans against Vampires. They are the ones who tend to revert to violence, or 'back alley politics' as many preternaturals have called it. The second largest is PAAS: the People's Army against the Supernatural, although they make their war with paper.

Sadie remains a frequent face for the rights of the preternatural as they continue to their battle to integrate into society. She has since moved to Connecticut.

Research:

1. Civil Rights Act of 1964 2. Commerce Clause 3. Legislative Law

Cameron's Biography: He was born Delaware in 1982, but moved to Massachusetts to attend school. He was born as a werewolf to a wolf father and human mother. He was a member of Law Review at Harvard and an A student. He began dating Sadie shortly after heading to school, in late 2007.