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Passes Hate Crimes Measure Congress Urged to Do Likewise—Issue Remains Dormant Hate Violence Doubled Between 1991- 1998 to l6.2 Percent |
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Compiled By GayToday
Washington, D.C.--The U.S. Senate approved a landmark hate crimes
bill yesterday, 57-42, as an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act. This
marks the second consecutive year the Senate has approved the measure,
while the U.S. House has not even brought the measure up for debate.
The bill's chief sponsor was Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D) of Massachusetts. The hate crimes measure, also supported by President Clinton, adds actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender and disability to federal hate crimes laws, which currently include race, color, national origin and religion. If passed by Congress, it would enable federal law enforcement officials to better enforce hate crimes laws and prosecute hate crimes. The Senate's action comes after a growing number of state legislatures this year have moved forward on hate crimes legislation. Tennessee Gov. Don Sundquist yesterday signed into law that state's first hate crimes measure inclusive of real or perceived gender or sexual orientation.
She said the percentage of hate crimes based on sexual orientation has increased from 8.9 percent in 1991 to 16.2 percent in 1998. "Passage of a hate crimes law won't magically eliminate all attacks on our community," Toledo said. "But it will send a clear message that hate violence is not acceptable in our democratic society." Representatives of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) expressed relief following Senate passage, but noted that this legislation in and of itself will not stop hate crimes. "Unfortunately, most of what is being done with respect to hate crimes only addressing the needs of people who've already been victimized," said Richard Haymes, executive director of the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP). "However, the fact that this legislation provides for a statistical accounting of hate crimes across the country can give advocates the resources they need to continue to work to educate communities and particularly our youth about the value of being respectful of difference," continued Haymes. "This is an extraordinary Gay Pride gift to the Nation's lesbian and gay community. And like other bills passed around the country, most recently in New York State, a long time coming," said Jeffrey Montgomery, executive director of Detroit's Triangle Foundation. Said Montgomery: "The sense of relief can not be overstated. While we've been waiting for legislation that acknowledged that the cancer of hate crimes was eating away at our culture, NCAVP's member organizations served over 20,000 victims of bias-related incidents." "The passage of this bill could have a tremendous effect on the willingness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to tell its stories, report incidents and seek assistance and justice for bias-related incidents," added Haymes. "We thank all of the Senators who voted 'yes' today and we hope that the House will follow the Senate's lead, but we are especially thankful to the Senators that have carried this bill through to today," concluded Haymes. The Senate today also approved, by a smaller margin, an amendment that would establish a study of state and local law enforcement. |
