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Gay Man Burned Alive Recalled
by U.S. Congress Member

California's Rep. Lois Capps Speaks about a 'Great Sadness'

Legislators Told: 'Intolerance Still has Evil and Ugly Face'

Congressional Record, March 6, 2002
http://thomas.loc.gov

Rep. Lois Capps

Fighting Hate Crimes in America (House of Representatives)

The SPEAKER pro tempore: Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. CAPPS) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mrs. CAPPS: Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise on the floor of the House this afternoon.

Two weeks ago in my California district, which includes Santa Barbara, a 37-year-old man named Clinton Scott Risetter was brutally murdered, burned to death in his bed. Such a killing would be tragic under any circumstances. Yet this is particularly painful because Mr. Risetter was murdered because he was a homosexual. Let me say that even in a community as tolerant as Santa Barbara, intolerance still has an ugly and evil face.

I am heartened by much of what has transpired since the tragic incident. I am proud that local law enforcement agencies have responded swiftly and thoroughly. The police department and district attorney are working closely with the community, including gay rights organizations, for which I am pleased and very grateful. But I also believe that we must confront the ugly specter of hate crimes on a national, as well as a local, level.

Last year at this time, an important bill was introduced in the House, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This bill, sponsored by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. CONYERS), would strengthen the Federal response to hate crime violence which is motivated by race, color, religion, or national origin. It would also expand the law to cover hate crimes committed against people because of their gender, sexual orientation, or disability, as well as to expand Federal jurisdiction to cover the most violent of these hate crimes.

As it stands now, Federal authorities cannot act on cases involving death or serious bodily injury based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability when local law enforcement is not available. Now fortunately this does not impact the case in Santa Barbara; but even so, many people throughout the country are left without any chance for justice when their own States fail to act.

So I am pleased that Santa Barbara has, as a community, responded with outrage and compassion to this recent event, the vicious hate crime which has occurred there. But as a society we must continue to confront what lies at the root of these horrendous hate crimes, and that is where our Federal legislation comes in and why it is so very important.

The Hate Crimes Prevention Act would provide communities with important prevention tools, including grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles and training for local law enforcement officers in investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes altogether.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Gay Man is Burned Alive in Santa Barbara Hate Crime

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Republican Leadership Kills Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Related Sites:
Anti-Violence Project

Rep. Lois Capps

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We cannot ignore the facts. Since 1996, hate crimes committed against individuals based on sexual orientation have increased nearly 28 percent. I will not remain silent on this issue. I am compelled to do whatever I can to prevent another hostile and tragic act on anyone because of his or her sexual orientation.

In a post-September 11 society, where tolerance and acceptance are strongly encouraged and promoted by our government and local communities, these types of crimes must not go unpunished or unexplored. Let us make the Hate Crimes Prevention Act a reality. Let us make a true commitment to every American citizen, be they gay or straight, Muslim, Christian, white, black, Hispanic or Asian. It should not take a brutal murder to jar the Congress out of acting out of common sense and basic human decency. It is too late to save the life of Mr. Risetter, but it is not too late to take the kind of action which will honor his memory.