Obama signs Matthew Shepard hate crimes legislation into law

Washington – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised President Barack Obama today for signing 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 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. The legislation was added as a provision to the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act earlier this Summer. For a comprehensive retrospective and historical overview of hate crimes advocacy visit: www.hrc.org/loveconquershate.

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today’s signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality. Although this is a major step in fighting the scourge of hate violence, it is not the end of the road. As a community, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to changing not only laws but also hearts and minds. We know that hate crimes not only harm individuals, but they terrorize entire communities. After more than a decade of advocacy, local police and sheriffs’ departments now have the full resources of the Justice Department available to them.”

“We applaud President Obama for signing this bill into law and thank the leadership and our allies in the House and Senate. We also will always remember the tireless efforts of Senator Edward Kennedy on this issue. Senator Kennedy once said that this legislation sends ‘a message about freedom and equality that will resonate around the world.’ This marks the first time that we as a nation have explicitly protected the LGBT community in the law. And this law sends a loud message that perpetrators of hate violence against anyone will be brought to justice,” said Solmonese.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act honors the memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an act of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas, in 1998.

“We are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly,” said Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “But each of us can and must do much more to ensure true equality for all Americans.”

“We appreciate everyone who worked so hard on this bill. My son was taken at such an early age and we hope this law will help prevent other families from going through what we experienced,” said Stella Byrd, mother of James Byrd. “Even though we’re different colors and different sexual orientations or gender identities, God made us all and he loves us all.”

The new law also 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.

This legislation was first introduced in the 105th Congress. There have been 14 total votes in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to bring this historic legislation to the president’s desk.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Courtesy: Human Rights Campaign

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NYC man remains in coma after brutal gay bashing

New York City politicos and activists on Monday denounced the attack against Queens resident Jack Price outside a College Point convenience store early on Oct. 9.

A Queens man remains in serious but stable condition after two men brutally beat him early Friday morning outside a local convenience store because he is gay.

Daniel Aleman, 26, and Daniel Rodriguez, 21, allegedly beat Jack Price, 49, around 3 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, after he went to a College Point corner store to buy a pack of cigarettes. The two men reportedly taunted Price, who remains in a medical induced coma at Booth Memorial Hospital, before they chased him and eventually beat him.

"To do this as a human being, no matter what their sexuality is, is a disgrace," Price’s sister-in-law Joanne Guarneri told WABC. "Both his lungs are collapsed. All his ribs are broken, his spleen had surgery, and he had to get a metal plate put in his jaw."

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, state Sen. Tom Duane [D-Chelsea,] City Councilmember John Liu [D-Flushing] and openly gay City Council candidates Danny Dromm and Jimmy Van Bramer were among those who denounced the attack at a press conference outside the hospital yesterday afternoon.

"To do this as a human being, no matter what their sexuality is, is a disgrace."
"When someone is attacked for being who they are, and for being proud of who they are, there is no other explanation for that attack than hatred and bigotry," Quinn said. "In response, we will do all in our power as individuals, as a community and as a city to ensure that whoever commits such a vile act of hate is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

The attack against Price is the latest in a series of anti-LGBT hate and bias crimes that have rocked Queens in recent months.

Trinidad Tapia and Gilberto Ortiz allegedly beat Leslie Morak with a belt buckle as she walked home from a Jackson Heights nightclub in June. And Nathaniel Mims and Rasheed Thomas face hate crimes charges after they allegedly attacked Carmella Etienne with rocks and empty beer bottles on July 8 as she walked home from a store near her St. Albans apartment.

The New York City Anti-Violence Project concluded in a report issued in July the severity of anti-LGBT violence in the five boroughs has increased. Those who spoke at the press conference outside the hospital added they feel the attack, which came less than three days before more than 1,400 New Yorkers took part in the National Equality March in Washington, shows anti-LGBT hate crimes and bias attacks remains a serious problem.

"This tragic and senseless incident is yet another reminder of how far we have to go towards making our city one that is free of hatred and violence at all times and for all people," Van Bramer concluded.

Courtesy:

Michael K. Lavers
National News Editor
Edge Publications

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Remembering Matthew Shepard

It's hard to believe that ten years have passed since Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die on a fence post outside of Laramie, Wyoming. Matthew had been kidnapped by two guys who pistol-whipped the 21 year-old college student on the night of October 6, 1998. Matthew died at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado on October 12, 1998.

I can remember the uproar that swept the nation when the news of this hate crime was released. I was just one year older than Matthew at the time of his murder. One week prior, I had interviewed with a GLBT television show in Houston, Texas. I accepted a position as a television reporter, covering the entertainment scene.

I will never forget the call I received from my producer on October 13, asking if I was available to cover a candlelight vigil for Matthew Shepard. The news of his death and the heinous hate crime washed over me and left me with sudden fear. It was a reminder that as a gay man I was not safe in this world.

It was a hot, rainy night on Tuesday, October 13, 1998, when hundreds of Houstonites gathered in a park near downtown. The area was illuminated by lights from TV camera crews, including my own crew with TV Montrose. I was armed with a small pad of paper, a pen and an umbrella. I was ready to interview speakers in the speech lineup, including openly lesbian city councilwoman, Anise Parker.

Looking out over the lawn, I witnessed women and men of all races and backgrounds standing in the rain, candle in hand, singing "We shall overcome..." The vigil was very emotional for many attendees, including myself.

After taking notes from several interviews, I was ready to do my on-camera take. I reached into my pocket to pull out my pad of paper. To my dismay, all of my notes had been smeared by the rain. My first TV story, and by far the most important, was going to be a big challenge. My producer looked at me and told me not to worry. He said to speak from my heart. So, I tried my best to calm my nerves, remembering that the entire event was much bigger than me.

That night will always be etched in my memory as a defining moment in my life. That night I witnessed love and compassion in complete strangers. I sang with the crowd. I held my candle up high and I shed many tears while listening to the voices of hope and change reverberate from the speakers. That night changed me. One of my peers had been murdered for being gay. I will never forget Matthew Shepard.

I know I have this video in my archive somewhere. It's on VHS. I will do my best to get it digitized and uploaded soon.

Don't forget Matthew Shepard
December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998

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