(NAME-MCE) Urge Your Senators to Pass Hate Crimes Legislation

[Bill Howe]

The National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME ) has been a
member of the National Hate Crimes Coalition for many years.  I have
continued to represent us with the Coalition.  Today, we received an ALERT
from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which is coordinating this
effort for the (Anti) Hate Crimes Coalition. This legislation, (S.909), also
known as the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, was passed by the
U.S. House of Representatives in April. 

 

Now, it is likely to be to be voted on WITHIN A WEEK in the U.S. Senate.
The bill will bring needed consistency to the current patchwork of hate
crime legislation and will add sexual orientation.  It is extremely
important to include sexual orientation under the hate crime category.  Many
of our students experience harassment and violence because of their real -
or perceived - sexual orientation.  Some have even committed suicide because
of this harassment. 


Please help to combat ALL hate crimes. Take a few moments to read this Alert
and contact your Senators - then share this e-mail with as many people as
you can.  Time is of the essence!  

 

My sincere thanks to you for helping to make a difference! - Jill Moss
Greenberg

 

 

 Urge Your Senators to Pass Hate Crimes Legislation

The Senate is expected to vote on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention
Act of 2009 (S. 909) before the August recess. This bill seeks to expand
existing federal hate crimes law to cover offenses based on a victim's real
or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It gives
the Department of Justice the power to investigate and prosecute
bias-motivated violence and would provide federal assistance to states,
local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes. The measure
is carefully crafted to ensure that First Amendment protections will not be
altered by its passage. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) is the lead sponsor of
the bill, and it currently has 44 cosponsors.

The passing of S. 909 is critical to unifying the patchwork of hate crimes
laws across the country, many of which do not include sexual
orientation-based, gender-based, or disability-based crimes.

On April 29, the House of Representatives passed a similar bill, the Local
Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1913) by a vote of
249-175.The June 10th shooting at the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum serves as a stark reminder of the need for stronger hate crimes
protections.

Action Needed: Please call or e-mail your Senators with the following
message or your modification of the message:

"Hate crimes threaten the viability of our communities and the federal
government has an obligation to protect all of its citizens from such
violence. I urge you to vote YES for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes
Prevention Act of 2009 (S.909) when it comes to the floor. By passing this
law, local law enforcement agencies will be able to better prosecute and
investigate hate crimes, and protect the American public no matter what
their race, religion, gender, sexual-orientation or disability may be. Thank
you for your support."