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 Hate Crimes Prevention Act We are committed to serving the Transgender community  Identity becomes convenient myth
There are few issues that bring to total disgust as hate crimes. There are not many things happening in the world that are as atrocious as a "simple" little hate crime. But the effect of that little hate crime is a reflection of the people of this country we live in. Which lives off of document that starts with "We the people", and includes "All men are created equal". The fact that we have to revisit this subject in the political arena is simply not right.
The House of Representatives passed HR-1592 The Mathew Shepard Law, or The Federal Hate Crimes Act. This is especially significant in the LGBT community. On a broader scale the so called "normal" people don't feel that this is a problem. Well, it wasn't their son, daughter, friend or family member that this happened to. They might have a different outlook had it been. But to the moral majority it's "Well, what did he do to deserve it.
Identity has become ambiguous with the addition of sexual orientation to the mix, it was easy to stop discrimination on the basis of color, religion, and sex. Now it includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and we are hoping someday transgendered. I am personally offended by the fact that the moral majority can accept lesbians, gays, and bisexuals but stop short of us the transgendered citizens of this great country of the USA where freedom of expression is a god given right but not practiced. There is more than 70% of the country that either know or is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. How can we continue to perpetrate violence on those that are different than us.
The candidates for the office of president in the 2008 race have had the opportunity to voice their opinions on national television. But the freedoms that they talk about still does not include transgender. Because we express ourselves, we don't have the luxury of being able to blend in with the general public, we are out there for all to see. We can't hide, the best we can do is hope to blend into the majority of people we interact with. Even this comes with ridicule.
Ultimately, the question is about ending hate crimes, and the fact that the passage of similar legislation in 32 states, including Washington, has not stamped out anti-gay hate crimes suggests that a federal law, while important, is not a complete solution. In this, as in so many other ways, society is ahead of politics.
I see that the moral majority are having trouble wrapping their little minds around same sex marriage. Now we are asking them to include transgender into the mix. It seems increasingly plausible that society's shift toward viewing identity as immaterial will make the need for hate crime laws immaterial. Perhaps by rejecting politics' obsessive labeling of people, we can deny the sickening motives that drive hate crimes in the first place.
Senators Kennedy and Smith to Introduce Trans-Inclusive Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act in U.S. Senate
National Center for Transgender Equality Executive Director Mara Keisling to Speak at House Briefing on Federal Hate Crimes Legislation
(Washington, DC) - On Thursday, April 12th at 11:00am, a House Briefing on the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592) was held to inform policymakers and their staff about the urgent need for this legislation. Panelists at the briefing represented the broad range of communities impacted by hate-motivated violence. The National Center for Transgender Equality's Mara Keisling spoke on endemic bias crimes that plague transgender communities. An identical hate crimes bill was introduced in the Senate at 3:00pm.
"I am deeply honored to voice the critical importance of this legislation for trans people to the House of Representatives," said Mara Keisling.
"The National Center for Transgender Equality and our allies have been working for years to get 'gender identity' into federal hate crimes legislation," she said. On April 12th, we will see the fruits of this labor, as the trans-inclusive bill that was introduced in the House last month is introduced in the Senate by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Smith (R-OR)."
"Finally, we have bills in both the House and Senate that clearly articulate the need for hate crime protections for transgender people," said Keisling. Now we must work together to pass these bills into law."
What will Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act accomplish?
• Help local law enforcement fight bias-motivated violent crimes by enabling the Justice Department to assist local law enforcement in their investigation and prosecution of hate crimes based on the victim's gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability.
• Expand existing federal jurisdiction in cases involving bias based on race, color, religion and national origin.
• Provide grants to help local law enforcement meet the exceptional expenses that can occur in hate crime cases.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act has previously passed both houses of Congress, and more than 210 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations support the passage of this crucial piece of legislation. House votes to expand hate-crime protections
White House opposes measure that includes gays
By Bob Dart
Cox News Service
WASHINGTON -- The White House threatened to veto a bill that passed the House on Thursday to add gender and sexual orientation to categories such as race and religion that are protected under federal hate-crime law.
The legislation, which passed 237-180, is designed to help law enforcement officials investigate and prosecute cases by extending the legal definition of "hate crimes" to attacks committed because of a person's sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. The current hate-crime law applies to violent crimes committed against a person because of his or her race, color, national origin and religion.
"These crimes constitute an assault not only against the victim, but against our communities," said Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and author of the bill. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the only openly gay House member, presided over the vote. Washington state's six Democrats voted for the bill; two Republicans voted against it. Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers did not vote.
The Bush administration issued a statement saying the measure is not needed and arbitrarily offers special protections to some Americans, such as gays, while leaving out other classes, such as the elderly and military personnel. If it passes the Senate, President Bush's "senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill," a White House statement said.
The bill, called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, thrusts the federal government into cases where a crime is alleged to have involved bias against gays, the disabled or women. Advocates said such federal involvement is needed in case a state or local law enforcement agency refused to prosecute such a "hate crime." But opponents said the law itself discriminates.
"Justice should be blind to the personal traits of victims," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee. Under this bill, he noted, criminals who kill a transvestite would be punished more harshly than criminals who kill a police officer. "This bill allows different penalties to be imposed for the same crime," Smith said. "We cannot legislate the hatred that some feel in their hearts. We need fewer labels and more unity in this country."
The legislation is also opposed by some black ministers, who said it could be used to punish them for preaching against the so-called sinfulness of homosexuality, lest their words lead to a member of their congregation committing a violent act against a gay person even though they did not advocate such an act.
"As an African American, I have long questioned the attempts of the homosexual community to piggyback on the legislative breakthroughs blacks have achieved in civil rights," said Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Washington, D.C. The legislation "will bring the threat of invasive, governmental interference with the doctrines and practice of the church."
"As some homosexual activists chant, 'Stay out of our bedrooms,' we are here to say 'Stay out of our pulpits,' " said Jackson, standing outside the Capitol with a half-dozen other African American ministers. The black preachers vowed to enlist their congregations in the opposition.
"We minister to millions in this country," said the Rev. Zachary Tims of New Destiny Christian Center Church in Apopka, Fla.
But Conyers said the bill specifically upholds the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. It "only applies to bias-motivated violent crimes and does not impinge (on) public speech, religious expression or writing in any way," he said.
Gay rights supporters applauded the House passage and encouraged the Senate to act quickly.
The opposition has been "dirty and dishonest," said Ralph Neas, president of People for the American Way, an advocacy group for liberal causes. "Anti-gay groups have unleashed a smear campaign based on false claims about threats to religious liberty. It's appalling that the White House has allied itself with these groups."
"State laws are inadequate to respond to these crimes," said Jody Huckaby, executive director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. She said that only 27 states and the District of Columbia have hate-crime laws inclusive of sexual orientation, and only five of those and D.C.'s specifically include transgender people. "We need an inclusive federal law that protects everybody. Now it is up to the Senate to make that happen."
The bill also provides $10 million over the next two years to help state and local jurisdictions prosecute hate crimes under the expanded federal definitions.
Conyers said the FBI has documented that more than 113,000 of these hate type of crimes based on bias were committed since 1991, including 7,163 in 2005. In that same year, the FBI statistics showed, 55 percent of these crimes were based on race-related bias, 17 percent on religious bias, 14 percent on bias over sexual orientation and 13 percent on ethnicity or national origin.
Dear Ms. ,
Thank you for contacting me regarding hate crimes. It was good to hear from you on this important issue.
Despite great gains in civil rights protection and equality throughout the last century, many Americans still face discrimination, violence and even death because of their identity or beliefs. Hate crimes threaten the safety and security of Americans in every corner of our country. They dehumanize the victims and terrorize their respective communities. They send a destructive message that some Americans are second-class citizens who do not deserve the same rights as the rest of us. Through intimidation, property destruction and bodily harm, these insidious crimes erode the quality of life for Americans nationwide.
To combat this serious problem, I was proud to be an original cosponsor of S.1145, the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA). This bill would have provided federal assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute violent hate crimes, especially crimes committed by offenders in multiple states and in rural areas that often have difficulty covering law enforcement expenses. It also would have helped train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting and preventing hate crimes.
Existing federal hate crime law only allows federal prosecution of crimes involving bodily injury in they were motivated by the victim's real or perceived race, religion, national origin or color-and if the victim was engaging in a federally-protected activity such as voting or attending school. LLEEA would have removed this second requirement and added sexual orientation, gender and disability to the list of protected categories. S. 1145 was not passed during the 109th Congress. Should similar legislation be introduced in the Senate during 110th Congress, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Since 1992, the FBI has documented nearly 75,000 hate crimes. The most recent available statistics indicate that in 2001, approximately 12,000 Americans were victims of hate crimes. The LLEEA was supported by 22 state Attorneys General, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association and over 175 other religious, law enforcement and civil rights organizations.
Attacks on Americans by other Americans are attacks on America itself. Our nation is strong because it rests on the principles of individual freedom and justice for all, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. I believe that by failing to value and respect our diversity, we weaken our nation. I will continue working in the Senate to ensure that all Americans can enjoy lives free from fear, discrimination and injury because of their identity or beliefs.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
Dear Ms. ,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (S. 1105). I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
As you may know, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) on April 12, 2007. If enacted, the bill would provide broader federal jurisdiction to prosecute hate crimes, including crimes motivated by race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Broadening federal jurisdiction will allow effective prosecution even when hate crimes are committed in states that lack hate crime statutes, or where local law enforcement lacks the resources for this type of prosecution. Additionally, the bill will provide federal grant money to states to better enable these jurisdictions to successfully prosecute hate crime offenders.
I have consistently supported hate crimes legislation and am again a cosponsor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. There are over 9,000 hate crime incidents reported annually each year. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act sends a clear message that violence against a person based on race, sexual orientation, or religion will not be tolerated anywhere in this country.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary where it awaits further review. Please be assured that I will support this legislation should it come to a vote before the full Senate.
Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Finally, you may be interested in signing up for my weekly update for Washington State residents. Every Monday, I provide a brief outline about my work in the Senate and issues of importance to Washington State . If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
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