vote on the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. According to a HRC press
release:
As the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote
tomorrow (Thursday) on H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate
Crimes Prevention Act, anti-gay extremist organizations have
embarked on a desperate last attempt to derail passage of the bill.
Marking a new low in politics, these groups have embraced the work
of a known white-supremacist filmmaker, callously invoked the
Virginia Tech massacre, blatantly lied about the congressional
record and even used the name and image of Jesus Christ in
vain.The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would
strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials to investigate
and prosecute hate crimes when a crime is committed because of a
person’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or
disability. The current hate crimes law applies only to violent
crimes committed due to the victim’s race, color, national origin
and religion.”
Yesterday afternoon, the radically conservative Family Research
Council issued an action alert urging its supporters to call
legislators around the country and released this statement:
This bill creates a caste system within American
society where those who fit a certain category – ranging from race,
disability, gender to sexual orientation and transgendered – would
be seen as deserving special legal protection. The bill is most
notable for the millions of Americans it leaves out, meaning if you
or I are a victim of a violent crime – we matter
less.”
With only hours until the vote, what can we do to counter this
last-minute effort by the far right?
- Sign the National Center for Transgender
Equality’s petition
supporting the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. There
is great power in numbers! - Contact your representatives. Use this
preformatted email from the People for the American
Way. - Spread the word. Talk about the Hate Crimes
Prevention Act at work today. Send an email to your contacts. Call
friends and family.
Let’s make history today!