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UPDATED: Letter to My Congressman on LLEHCPA (H.R.1592) Hate Crimes Prevention Act

May 3rd, 2007
By HOLLY IN CINCINNATI


UPDATE: House Passes Hate Crimes Bill Despite Possible Veto

Even before House members debated and passed a bill today to expand hate crimes law, the administration signaled that President Bush would veto it if it ever reaches his desk — delighting Republican lawmakers and social conservatives.

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The US House of Representatives is debating this issue as I prepare this post and will vote on it later today. You can watch on C-SPAN. I am appalled to hear some representatives repeat the most preposterous, slanderous, nonsense in opposition to this act, which should have been passed several years ago. These ignorant folks have apparently never seen a gay-bashing (as I have) and are unaware that such cases are often laughed off or ignored by local authorities.

Here is the letter I emailed to my Congressman:

May 1, 2007

Dear Representative Steve Chabot,

As a religious Jew, I encourage you to vote this Thursday for the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R.1592), without any amendments or motion to recommit. This legislation will expand federal hate crimes law to include crimes based on gender, sexuality, and disability and will enable law enforcement to appropriately investigate and prosecute egregious hate crimes targeting and terrorizing an entire community.

All violent crimes are reprehensible, but the damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. Hate crimes rend the fabric of our society and fragment communities, targeting a whole group and not just the individual victim.

Therefore, a bias motivated act must be dealt with extra severely.

Furthermore, by collecting accurate information about these hate crimes, the government and non-governmental organizations can better plan and program educational activities to combat hatred. Although the stricter punishment is critical, the goal of hate crimes laws is often tied to the idea of educating perpetrators, law enforcement officers, and the general public about the scourge of hate in our society.

Jewish tradition consistently teaches the importance of tolerance and the acceptance of others. In the Holiness Code, in Leviticus 19:17, we are commanded “You shall not hate another in your heart.”

Nobel laureate Eli Wiesel once said: “To hate is to deny another person’s humanity.” Now is the time for Congress to pass hate crimes laws which will ensure just measures against those who commit hate-motivated attacks.

Sincerely,

Helaine Robinson

Here some additional resources on the issue:

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

American Jewish Committee

Human Rights Campaign

Anti-Defamation League

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

American Civil Liberties Union

People for the American Way

The Interfaith Alliance

National Conference for Community and Justice

Rep. Pence of Indiana is speaking now in opposition to the bill. Strangely enough, both gay-bashings I saw were in the State of Indiana.

Freshman Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota spoke very well on this issue.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio just spoke in favor - this is one thing I agree with him on!

Debate ended. The motion to recommit (send the bill back to committee) failed. Voting on the bill is now taking place. I just got an email from PFAW indicating that the bill will pass the House and it’s time to contact the Senate.

The bill appears to have passed by at least 40 votes. Reportedly, the White House has threatened to veto it.

BLOGGING ON THIS ISSUE:

AMERICAblog:
Lead gay group blasts religious right ties to hate group, white supremacist
“Thought crimes” against GOP members of Congress are already illegal - but they won’t support protecting gays from ACTUAL violent crimes
Mary Cheney, Izzy Hernandez, and NAMBLA
BREAKING: GOP refuses to add American troops and senior citizens to hate crime bill
237-180 Hate Crime bill passes US House

Pam’s House Blend: Hate crimes bill - today’s the day

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 at 8:06 am and is filed under Homophobia, Sexism, Racism, Crime, Civil Liberties, Law Enforcement, Women's Issues, Anti-Semitism, GLBT Issues, Race, Gender, Politics, Religion, Society, Freedom of Speech, Minorities, Law & Legal Matters. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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