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Loading ...Coalition urges swift passage of hate crimes bill
04.27.2009 1:15pm EDT
(Washington) The US House is expected to vote this week on legislation to add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.
The bill was marked up last week by the House Judiciary Committee.A wide coalition of national civil rights, human rights, and faith communities is calling for swift approval of the bill. Among the groups is the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
“Violence against people because of who they are, where they worship, or the color of their skin, is the antithesis of what we stand for as a nation. Hatred that leads to violence is a matter of fundamental concern to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and its 200-member coalition and we are unified in our support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” said Wade Henderson, president of the LCCR.
“The right to be protected and to be safe and free from physical harm or intimidation is the most fundamental of civil and human rights. We urge Congress to quickly pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, legislation that will enhance protections against hate crimes and give local police departments the resources they need to crack down on hate motivated violence,” said Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP.
“As Jews, we cherish the biblical commandment found in Leviticus 19:17: ‘You shall not hate another in your heart,’” said Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
He added, “We know all too well the dangers of unchecked persecution and of failing to recognize hate crimes for what they are: acts designed to target and terrorize an entire community. All violent crimes are reprehensible, but hate crimes rend the fabric of society and fragment communities. By providing federal officials the authority to investigate and prosecute cases in which violence occurs because of victims’ real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender or disability, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will significantly strengthen federal response to these horrific crimes.”
Gay rights groups have been fighting to have the legislation passed for over a decade.
Because there is no federal law mandating states and municipalities to report hate crimes, they are often under-reported. 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 legislation 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.
President Obama has said that if the bill is passed he would sign it. If the House approves the current bill it would still need to be passed by the Senate.
“After 10 years, and tens of thousands more victims, this critical legislation combating hate violence is long overdue,” said Joe Solmonese, President of Human Rights Campaign.
” On behalf of the overwhelming majority of the American people, and more than 300 law enforcement, religious and civil rights organizations, we urge Congress not to delay in sending this bill to the President’s desk where he has stated he will sign it into law. We must not miss this opportunity to provide local police and sheriffs’ departments with the tools and resources they need to ensure that entire communities are not terrorized by hate violence,” he said.
I hope this makes it through.
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I already contacted one of my favorite HOR about voting for this bill. I hope it passes. I’ve been praying that it does.
Go for it Congress! Do the right thing and finally improve this law to its correct, full potential. The Democrats are not perfect but remember that the Repubs would not be doing anything for
our people. Hear that Log Cabins?
We, many, many of us will be keeping a list and checkin it more than twice of those who vote against this bill.
i agree with everyone i hope this passes im only 18 but iam hoping it passes
November 1, 2009
My 17 year old jumped by 4 older men and a woman in Wishram Washington
Our 17-year-old son beaten. Four adult males and a woman in wishram Washington. Since, we have been here. This is as of today 1 month. We have been terrorized. Last night my husband was jumped by another man who was enjoying the entertainment of watching another mob fight, everyone standing around watching including adults watching , the adults from the bar also, the adults having a party next door to us, including one man in his 30’s who came out side to help the punks of wishram beat my 17 year old and try to kill him, this man in his 30’s I hear has aids, he kicked my son numerous times and threw undercut punches numerous times while my son was laying on the ground. What was the reason for this terrible beating down of a 17 year old? We are the new people in town,” that is their excuse. (Excuse me,) for being homeless, no jobs, without a car, almost starving, no showers, and still pressing on looking for work everyday, even having an individual who works for an organization that gives free showers in The Dalles ridicule my 17 year old son because he needs to use their shower. The first of school, he walks in with joy because he gets to go to school, only to leave in tears, because the person in charge of the facility. Ridiculed him, belittled him, because he needed a clean town! Sleeping at Rest Areas all summer, on the pavement in front of the car that we did have, which was his also, but wrecked on his way back from Biggs after a shower was given to him from a wonderful couple who loves Jesus and lives on the road as truck drivers.
As my husband looked for our two sons. It was getting late. We all had work in the morning. Son Lee starts school Tuesday again at the Community College in The Dalles. My other two sons’ Chris Jr. and Moke’ just obtained jobs yesterday. In addition, as the Mom just started a new job
This would have been the third day at work.
My husband seen a fight at the basketball court, Adults from the bar just standing there watching. Crowds standing there watching. He had seen that no one was helping the kid getting beat up. While this young man was beating on another kid. He could not stand to see this, so he proceeded to walk over there and try to encourage the young men to stop. Some larger young man began throwing punches at he (husband) (with out a cause). My husband was able to dodge the blows, but he by the man on the tip of his nose. He comes back to tell he did not find the two boys Then he proceeded out the door to search again for our two boys again.
He had seen a mob of 25 people or more across from the church. In addition, my youngest son Lee standing in the midst of the crowd surrounded by them “crying and bleeding profusely”, my husband drove up to the crowd, the crowd then disperses and disappears into the darkness. He brings our sons to home. He proceeds to call 911 and the police. They show up, the medics, comprised of this little town called Wishram in Washington. They check over our son, and we let them know that we are taking his to the hospital. The police take our reports, then, try to investigate the neighbors next door and some of the young men who were all adults involved in the beating of our 17-year-old son. We did not see any one go to jail. It was obvious that this was a planned deal with this little town of Wishram.
We told the police we wanted to press charges. In addition, nothing came of it. It is now day light. We are going into Oregon to follow up on this matter. We will follow-up with the Authorities that be and the Hospital.
Please let the country know. That being a Bully is unacceptable.
Leah Martinho
November 3, 2009
On the night of Oct. 31, 2009 our son who is 17 was beaten down by 4 Caucasian men and one Caucasian woman. With a crowd of 25 or more around him. Standing taking a tremendous beating from these adult men and a woman. He cried out, “please stop, please stop, please stop. They would not stop. Instead, my son and his older brother said they heard a male yell out, “the big guy is not going down”. So, more came in proceeded to kick my son all over his body, from head to toe with their boots and punch him with their fists, over and under punches. Taking hits to the back of his head and front of his face continuously, he continued to stand, crying out, “please stop, please stop, please stop”. Then he dropped to his knees, while this crowd of more than 25 by now kept lunging at him with tremendous force, taking more than 15 punches to his nose, and multiple hits to the rest of his body, no one would stop. Until my sons’ dad drove up. The crowd breaking up and disappearing into the darkness. My husband distraught from the sight of our son.
No one was arrested!
Yesterday on November 2, 2009. We went to the sheriffs office to ask for copies of the all the reports, seeking help for this matter. Only to walk away feeling help-less. Not one arrest and this is Nov. 3, 2009
The deputy that night told us they [this little town] does this to all new people, but never to this extent.
The community surrounding this town. [ outside of it, even across the bridge into Oregon] said, they have heard of this town doing such things and they stay away. Allot of young men and women told my family they too were attacked physically when coming to visit and could do nothing about it. There are neighbors who live by us. They too, have been beaten down, from old men to young teenage girls.
Why is this allowed in the county of Klickitat? Why does not the authorities take action and stop this “bullying”, stop the “terrorism”, stop the “discrimination”, STOP THE BEATINGS!
Our son has a broken nose, bruises through-out his body, open wounds throughout his body, his ankle nearly broke from all the kicking, his legs bruised from the kicking. Not to mention the horrible sleepless nights and pain he is suffering from the attack, the violation of his youth and person.
Our family is still here in this little town. With no where else to go. We are looking for another rental on the Oregon side. It is not easy with just starting jobs, only a small amount of money. We are prisoners in this town right now.
We are “Prisoners of War”.
Leah Martinho
Yesterday on November 3, 2009. I proceeded to keep writing Newspapers about the incident that happened to my 17 year old on Oct. 31, 2009 in Wishram, Washington. I finally received a call from the Chief Prosecutor in Goldendale, Washington. He said, it was the first he had heard about the incident. He seemed concerned. At the same time until the paper work was ready, he could do nothing.
In the middle of all of this mess. My job was lost. Yes, why? I don’t know. I followed all the required procedures. We are to call in 2 hours before the shift starts. My training shift started at 9am the morning of Nov. 1, 2009. I called in the first time at 2:30 a.m. after the police left and the medics left my home.
I spent the next day at the hospital in The Dalles, Oregon. During that time I called 2 more times. My boss was not in the lady that answered said. She was very abrupt with me. As if, I had done something or should have never been born. The evening crew there were continually cruel to me. I did nothing to provoke them to anger. They just didn’t like me. I felt unusually uncomfortable.
Again, I checked in to talk to my boss. Still, they told me out front she was not there. Come to find out she was there. Because, of the cruelty shown to me from the managers at that store that were below my boss. I proceeded to gather my training material. Then proceeded to take it in to the store to return. I had not had a return call from my boss at that point. When I walked into the store at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday on Nov. 3, 2009. I saw my boss and she saw me. She did not respond to me as she did before. Her look was that of “you are fired”! She then proceeded to ignore me. So, I laid my paperwork and training material on the counter and walked out.
At that point I knew that she or the crew had somehow made a decision to not keep me on at the store. I can’t express how deeply sad I am. Having gone through so much this year and last. And to have been discriminated against {my family as a whole} in Wishram, Washington. Then, to feel the same way walking into the store and then out. Tears wanted to well up. I kept them in. Working hard to be strong and courageous for my family.
This morning I woke up only to pick the phone up. Calling my boss. I proceeded to let her know, that I needed an explanation for the reason I had not received a phone call back? Her reason was not the right answer. She told me I threw my books on the counter and left. She then assumed I had quit. Not so! I told her, I had called, even walked into the store many times asking for her and they told me she was not there. She told me, she had returned at 3pm yesterday. I told her , I called even after that. The person I talked to told me, she was not there.
I said, I need an explanation. She said, Well, you came in and threw your files on the counter. I said, No! And proceeded to hang up.
Biggs, Oregon is right across the bridge from Wishram, Oregon. I can assume all kinds of things. All I know, is I did everything I was suppose to do according the policy of the company. In response, from them, I received nothing. How does a person, a mom, who just had her son beat up, in the hospital and dealing with the legalities of the situation, deal with the loss of her job as well. A job she just got not 2 days earlier? Please tell me where is the justice in this?
Why is this happening to me? I can’t even ask that. It’s just the way it is.
My 17 year old is still extremely bruised. His nose is broken, the cuts, bruises, sprains through out his body is still very obvious. He is a Gentle Giant with the tenderness that this world will never understand.
We are still here in this little town of Wishram, Washington. Stuck! With no where else to go.
NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE YET!
“Prisoners of War”.
Sincerely,
Leah Martinho