wfn.org | Hate crimes legislation becomes law

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Hate crimes legislation becomes law

> Written by Gregg Brekke
> October 28, 2009

President Barack Obama signed today the Matthew Shepard and James
Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act, which strengthens existing U.S.
laws by expanding federal hate crime protection to cases where the
victim was targeted because of their sexual orientation, gender,
disability or gender identity.

UCC General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black affirmed
the similar tone between this legislation and pronouncements of the
UCC's General Synod. "The General Synod has been on record since 1989
supporting hate crimes legislation, expressing solidarity and support
for the victims of violence, recognizing that the whole community
benefits from efforts to reduce violence and calling for all settings
of the church to work to end violence," he said.

In 2003 the 24th General Synod called "for an end of any form of hate,
violence, and prejudice based on sexual orientation or gender
identity, as well as violence and prejudice based on race,
nationality, religion, mental or physical disability" including "the
use of scripture to generate hatred and the violation of the rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons..."

The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming college student
who, in 1999, was beaten to death because he was gay and James Byrd,
Jr., an African-American, who was lynched by three white supremacists
and dragged to his death chained by the ankles to a pickup truck. Key
provisions of the legislation extend federal resources to local law
enforcement officials to investigate crimes against lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender persons believed to be motivated by bias and
bring the perpetrators to justice.

"I applaud the President's signing of the Matthew Shepard and James
Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act," said the Rev. Michael
Schuenemeyer, the UCC's executive for health and wholeness advocacy.
"Violence against persons because of their real or perceived sexual
orientation, or because of their gender identity or expression
continues to occur in this country."

The legislation was added to the 2010 defense authorization bill that
passed the Senate by a 68-29 vote last week. The House approved the
defense bill Oct. 8 by a 281-146 margin.