Fyi..



The man who has no imagination has no wings. 
Muhammad Ali


Rodney D. Coates
Professor


History in the Making: Hate Crimes Prevention Act 

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
October 28, 2009
http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/pr_commentary_102809

NOTE TO MEDIA: As President Obama today signed the
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes
Prevention Act, the following 30 organizations issued
this joint statement:

History in the Making

It took much too long, more than a decade. And it came
at too great a price: the brutal killings of Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. are just two among the
thousands of crimes motivated by hate and bigotry.

But this week, the president put pen to paper and
fulfilled a campaign promise, the signing of the
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes
Prevention Act, extending the federal hate crimes
statute to include sexual orientation and gender
identity along with race, religion, gender, national
origin and disability. Our deepest hope and strong
belief is that this new law will save lives. Now,
lawmakers and the president have made an imperative
statement to the country and the world: Our nation will
no longer tolerate hate-motivated violence against
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

We have worked long and hard for this and its passage
is historic.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, there are nearly 8,000
hate crime-related incidents annually, and more than
1,200 of those incidents involve violence based on
sexual orientation or gender identity. And even more
alarming, while the overall occurrence of hate crimes
is declining nationally, hate crimes against LGBT
people have been increasing. This year alone, we saw
hate crimes trials in the brutal killings of two
transgender women, Angie Zapata and Lateisha Green.

As a result of this legislation, if local jurisdictions
are unable or unwilling to investigate or prosecute
hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender
identity, the Justice Department can now step in. And
that's why the LGBT community never stopped working for
this historic day.

This legislation not only has practical value, but is a
symbol of our progress. It is the first time in the
nation's history that Congress has passed explicit
protections on the basis of sexual orientation and
gender identity. We could not have reached this moment
without the powerful support of our allies who stood
with us every step of the way. We are deeply grateful
to civil rights, civic, faith and disability rights
groups, as well as law enforcement and district
attorney organizations that worked side by side with
the LGBT advocates. We are equally thankful to
Congress, President Obama and members of his
administration for passing and signing this bill into
law.

While today we celebrate this marker of progress, we
must recognize it as only one of the building blocks to
full equality and demand that it be just a first step
toward equal treatment under federal law in all areas
of our lives. And we must focus on the next step.

The passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act provides us with an
opportunity. We must use this moment to educate and
keep the momentum going so that we can continue to make
progress on the local, state and federal levels. Yes,
legislation takes a long time -- often years of work.
Yet, our community is on the cusp of passing much-
needed protections.

This week, we call upon lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people, families and allies to take this
opportunity of increased media and public attention on
hate crimes to educate co-workers, classmates,
neighbors, family members and friends about our lives,
and about why we need not only their friendship and
love, but their vocal support for a more just and equal
America for LGBT people. If your members of Congress
voted in support of hate crimes legislation, call them
and thank them. Then ask them to be there for us again
when the vote turns to workplace nondiscrimination,
military service and partnership rights.

With your help and our collective pressure, equality is
within reach.

When talking about the need for hate crimes
legislation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: "The time
for debate is over."

She was right.

Just as the time has finally come for stronger hate
crime protections, it is also time to pass an inclusive
Employment Non-Discrimination Act, repeal "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act,
and ensure that health care, economic policy and
immigration reform incorporate the needs of LGBT
people.

The time for debate is over.

Signed by:

Jo Kenny, AFL-CIO Pride at Work Terry Stone,
Centerlink: The Community of LGBT Centers Gabe Javier &
Debbie Bazarsky, Consortium of Higher Education LGBT
Resource Professionals Marianne Duddy-Burke, DignityUSA
Toni Broaddus, Equality Federation Jennifer Chrisler,
Family Equality Council Evan Wolfson, Freedom to Marry
Lee Swislow, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders
Rebecca Allison, M.D., Gay & Lesbian Medical
Association Chuck Wolfe, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
Eliza Byard, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network Marjorie Hill, Gay Men's Health Crisis Joe
Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign Rachel Tiven,
Immigration Equality Earl Fowlkes, International
Federation of Black Prides Kevin M. Cathcart, Lambda
Legal Leslie Calman, Mautner Project: The National
Lesbian Health Organization Sharon Lettman, National
Black Justice Coalition Kate Kendell, National Center
for Lesbian Rights Mara Keisling, National Center for
Transgender Equality Justin Nelson, National Gay &
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Rea Carey, National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force Paul Kawata, National Minority AIDS
Council Kyle Bailey, National Stonewall Democrats Greg
Varnum, National Youth Advocacy Coalition Sharon
Stapel, New York Anti-Violence Project Selisse Berry,
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Jody Michael Huckaby,
PFLAG National Michael Adams, Services and Advocacy for
GLBT Elders (SAGE) Aubrey Sarvis, Servicemembers Legal
Defense Network

-30-

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund,
founded in 1974 as the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, Inc., works to build the grassroots political
power of the LGBT community to win complete equality.
We do this through direct and grassroots lobbying to
defeat anti-LGBT ballot initiatives and legislation and
pass pro-LGBT legislation and other measures. We also
analyze and report on the positions of candidates for
public office on issues of importance to the LGBT
community. The Task Force Action Fund is a 501(c)(4)
non-profit corporation incorporated in New York.
Contributions to the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force Action Fund are not tax deductible.

_____________________________________________