This week, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act was re-introduced in the House of Representatives. This legislation seeks to update federal hate crime laws by adding protections for people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
This is NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE. The bill is endorsed by notable individuals and over 210 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, including: President George H.W. Bush’s Attorney General Dick Thornburgh; National Sheriffs’ Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; U.S. Conference of Mayors; Presbyterian Church; Episcopal Church; and the Parent’s Network on Disabilities. Poll after poll continues to show that the American public supports hate crimes legislation inclusive of sexual orientation, including a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in November 2001 showing 73 percent of Americans supporting hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation.
This link on the Human Rights Campaign site will help you find your legislators by using your zip code. Let your representatives and senators know that you want to give local law enforcement agencies the extra tools and resources they need to prevent and combat hate violence.
Thank you.
Most of the text of this post was taken from the HRC Web site.
I can count on two votes
My congressman and one female senator who calls the state Missouri are already with us. The other Senator who calls the state Mazoorah will again thump his rural bible and vote no. Unfortunately we have more Mazoorah congressmen than Missouri — how else was George Bush able to get elected twice.
Rob