Showing posts with label hate crimes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hate crimes. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Report finds gay community more at risk for hate crime than any other group

Gays and lesbians are more at risk for becoming hate crime victims than any other group, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

The overall number of hate crimes declined in 2009, compared with the year before; more than 18% of reported incidents were based on sexual orientation, according to FBI statistics.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Hate crimes up 11 percent in 2008

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, responded today to the Federal Bureau of Investigation report which showed the number of victims of bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation increased by 11 percent in 2008. The statistics show that reported hate crimes against the LGBT community have increased for the third year in a row. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation remain the third most common type of hate crimes, behind race and religion.

“These numbers are unacceptable. While it is so important that we have the new federal hate crimes law, it is critical to ensure that we continue working with the Department of Justice to ensure the safety of LGBT citizens,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We have to prosecute each hate crime to the fullest extent of the law, but we also need to get at the roots. When we don't know each other as human beings, ignorance breeds misunderstanding, which breeds hate, which too often this year led to violence. We have to keep fighting the prejudices and stereotypes that underlie these acts.”

More after the jump.

On October 28, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The new law gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the Justice Department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where a perpetrator has selected a victim because of the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. In addition, it provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions with investigations and prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes of violence.

The new law also authorizes the Justice Department to provide grants to state and local communities to cover the extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Moreover, it authorizes the provision of grants for local programs to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles, including programs that train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting and preventing hate crimes.

The data comes just days after the LGBT community mourned on Transgender Day of Remembrance – honoring the memories of those lost in hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias. While current data does not track crimes on based on gender or gender identity, the new hate crimes law requires the FBI to track statistics on these incidents.

Friday, October 9, 2009

House passes hate crimes provision


The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, praised the U.S. House of Representatives today for passing the conference report for the FY 2010 Defense Authorization bill by a vote of 281 to 146, bringing critical hate crimes protections closer to becoming law than ever before. Earlier this week, the House voted down a last-ditch effort to eliminate the hate crimes provision from the bill, through a procedural effort called a motion to instruct conferees. The conference report now proceeds to the Senate for its final vote in Congress. In July, the Senate voted to attach the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act to the Defense Authorization measure and is expected to approve the conference report as early as next week. President Obama has repeatedly pledged to sign the bill when it reaches his desk. 


More after the jump.

“We are closer than ever before to protecting Americans from hate violence thanks to today’s action by the House,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “The day is within sight when lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people will benefit from updating our nation’s hate crimes laws and giving local law enforcement the tools they need to combat hate violence.”

The Defense Authorization conference report removed a provision adopted in the Senate which would make the death penalty available for hate crimes. In addition, the hate crimes provision has been renamed “The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” honoring the memory of another victim of hate violence – in the same year as Matthew Shepard – an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas.

“We are so grateful for the leadership of our many allies in Congress, and particularly of Senators Leahy, Levin, Collins and Reid and Representatives Conyers, Kirk, Baldwin and the Speaker in ensuring that the hate crimes provision remained part of this authorization bill. Of course, we cannot forget the tireless efforts of Senator Kennedy on this issue and it is fitting that we will award the first ever Edward M. Kennedy National Leadership Award to Judy and Dennis Shepard, Matthew’s parents and long-time champions of this effort, on Saturday,” said Solmonese.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Senate holds hearing on hate crimes

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today thanked the Senate Judiciary Committee for holding a hearing on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909). The legislation, which was passed in the U.S. House by a vote of 249-175 in April, would provide local police and sheriff’s departments with federal resources to combat hate violence. The hearing included an appearance by Attorney General Eric Holder, the first time an Attorney General has testified in favor of this legislation, and written testimony from Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. To read the testimony visit: www.HRCBackStory.org.

“We appreciate the Senate for holding this hearing and urge action on hate crimes legislation before the August recess,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “After more than a decade and nine successful votes in Congress, there is no good reason for any delay on bringing this bill to the President’s desk. Too many families have been devastated by hate violence. We must finally pass this bill and start the important steps to erasing hate in our country.”

More after the jump.

The Matthew Shepard Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

Because there is no federal law mandating states and municipalities to report hate crimes, they are often underreported. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s own statistics, based on voluntary reporting, show that since 1991 over 100,000 hate crime offenses have been reported to the FBI, with 7,624 reported in 2007, the FBI’s most recent reporting period. Violent crimes based on sexual orientation constituted 16.6 percent of all hate crimes in 2007, with 1,265 reported for the year. In addition, while not captured in the federal statistics, transgender Americans too often live in fear of violence.

There have been nine successful votes on the Matthew Shepard Act. It was previously introduced in the 110th Congress by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and offered as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization (DoD) bill. After a successful 60-39 vote to prevent a filibuster, the Matthew Shepard Act was adopted by voice vote and added to the DoD bill. The hate crimes provision was later not included in the final version of the DoD bill.

Working in coalition with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Human Rights Campaign continues to mobilize its members to pass this legislation. The website www.FightHateNow.org gives users opportunities to contact their member of Congress, watch video testimonials on hate crimes and learn the truth about the legislation. The site will continue as a clearinghouse for information throughout the Senate action on the legislation.e

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Clergy Call for Justice and Equality

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, is holding the 2009 Clergy Call for Justice and Equality. The event, part of a two-day conference that started today, includes more than 300 clergy members from all 50 states lobbying on Capitol Hill for pro-equality legislation. Participating clergy will advocate for a fully inclusive hate crimes bill in the U.S. Senate and for a fully inclusive employment non-discrimination bill that would protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. For the complete schedule of events, visit www.hrc.org/ClergyCall.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

HRC condemns Rep. Foxx’s remarks calling Matthew Shepard’s hate motivated murder “a hoax”


During debate on hate crimes legislation taking place today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) claimed that Matthew Shepard's death was “a hoax.”

While Matthew’s mother, Judy Shepard looked on from the House gallery, Foxx, who managed the floor for those opposed to the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, spoke saying, “the hate crimes bill that’s called the Matthew Shepard Bill is named after a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. It wasn’t because he was gay. This – the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it’s really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.”


More after the jump.

“Vile lies, like the one spread by Rep. Foxx today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about Matthew’s brutal hate-fueled murder, continues to underscore how extreme anti-LGBT opponents have become,” said Brad Luna, Communications Director for the Human Rights Campaign. “It is no longer acceptable in this day and age to just come right out and say you don’t like gay people. Instead, extremist opponents of equality must resort to these types of malicious and twisted lies. Rep. Foxx should be ashamed of herself.”

On the night of October 7, 1998, two men led Matthew Shepard to a remote area east of Laramie, Wyoming where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of hate, killing the twenty-one year old college student because he was gay. This hate motivated murder sparked a national outcry to expand hate crimes laws to protect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The perpetrators of this heinous act are now both serving life sentences for Matthew’s death.

Media Matters for America has posted video of Rep. Foxx’s remarks today and background information regarding widespread acceptance among the media and others that Matthew’s murder was motivated by hate violence. To view the video and read the background, go to: http://mediamattersaction.org/items/200904290005

Because there is no federal law mandating states and municipalities to report hate crimes, they are often underreported. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s own statistics, based on voluntary reporting, show that since 1991 over 100,000 hate crime offenses have been reported to the FBI, with 7,624 reported in 2007, the FBI’s most recent reporting period. Violent crimes based on sexual orientation constituted 16.6 percent of all hate crimes in 2007, with 1,265 reported for the year. In addition, while not captured in the federal statistics, transgender Americans too often live in fear of violence.

The LLEHCPA gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

A wide coalition of national organizations has called for the passage of the LLEHCPA legislation. Some of those organizations supporting this legislation include: the National Sheriffs Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; 26 state Attorneys General; the National District Attorneys Association; the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights; the Anti-Defamation League; the NAACP; the National Council of La Raza; the Presbyterian Church; the Episcopal Church; and the National Disability Rights Network.

To take action to support the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, please visit: www.FightHateNow.org.

President Obama urges the passage of Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The White House issued the following statement from President Obama yesterday regarding H.R. 1913:

"This week, the House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association. I also urge the Senate to work with my Administration to finalize this bill and to take swift action."

Hats off to Mr. Ken Buck

I posted about this editorial yesterday but didn't realize it was written by Ken Buck, conservative Republican DA who is arguing IN FAVOR of the hate crimes statute, which puts him at odds with the majority of Republicans. AND he's running for Senator, and coming forward with this opinion, which is really brave of him considering his party's stance on the issue.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Washington adds gender identity to hate crime laws


The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today praised Governor Christine Gregoire and the Washington State legislature for adding gender identity and expression to the state’s hate crimes laws. Governor Gregoire signed the bill today following positive votes in the legislature. On April 8, the state House of Representatives voted 68-30 to pass SB 5952 following a Senate vote of 36-12 on March 10. Passage came with bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans.

“We applaud Washington State for updating existing hate crimes laws to include protections for gender identity and expression,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We congratulate Senator Joe McDermott for his leadership in sponsoring this bill, as well as Equal Rights Washington, the Washington Student Lobby,and the many activists, including HRC members, who have been working to build support for this bill. We’re pleased that so many legislators, Democrats and Republicans, recognize that this is simply about equal protection under the law.”

“Today is a great day for the state of Washington and all Washingtonians,” said Allyson Robinson, Associate Director for Diversity at the Human Rights Campaign. “This legislation will finally provide protections to our transgender brothers and sisters who are often the targets of the most violent acts of hate. Washington has taken a big leap forward in recognizing the importance of this common-sense legislation.”

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Two Spirits: The murder of Fred Martinez


The Murder of two-spirited Fred Martinez is the focus of a new documentary that was recently accepted in the International LGBT Film Festival to take place June 18-28 in San Francisco. Titled “Two Spirits: Sexuality, Gender, and the Murder of Fred Martinez,” the film interweaves the story of the short life and brutal death of a Navajo teenager with a penetrating examination of the two‐spirit tradition among American Indians.

The film reconstructs what happened on a night in June 2001 when one boy bludgeoned another with rocks, then bragged to friends that he had “bug-smashed a fag.”

Fred Martinez was one of the youngest hate‐crime victims in modern history when he was brutally murdered at the age of 16 in Cortez, Colorado.

Martinez was a male-bodied person with a spiritual essence that is feminine, a special gift according to his ancient Navajo culture. The film explores the life and death of a boy who was also a girl – two spirits – and the fluidity and spiritual nature of gender and sexuality. The film makes the case that people need to return to traditional American Indian values.

“We must raise $19,000 quickly in order to finish the film on time,” says Lydia Nibley, executive producer and director of the documentary. She explained the money is needed to “cover the cost of the audio mix, color correction, mastering and other technical details needed to finish the film and get it out widely on the film festival circuit.”

If you would like to make a financial donation, please contact Lydia@SYQproductions.net.

Jared Polis: Why hate crime legislation is important


The death of Colorado transgender teenager Angie Zapata is an urgent reminder of the need for Congress to pass a federal hate-crimes statute, writes out U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., a co-sponsor of the bill.

"People from all over the country were appalled a decade ago when gay student Matthew Shepard was beaten to death in Wyoming," Polis writes. "We should be even more appalled that in those 10 years, our nation has failed to adopt a federal hate-crimes bill."