US senate adds gays, lesbians to hate crime law
October 23rd, 2009 - 10:11 am ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, Oct 23 (IANS) In a move welcomed by gays and lesbians, the US Senate has passed groundbreaking legislation making an assault on an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity a federal crime.
The measure expanding federal hate crimes law was added to a $680 billion defence authorisation bill. It now goes to the desk of President Barack Obama who has pledged to sign the measure. President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure.
The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998, and James Byrd Jr., an African-American man dragged to death in Texas the same year.
Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate-crime law could be used to criminalise conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality. Attorney General Eric Holder has asserted that any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias, as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs.
Holder called Thursday’s 68-29 Senate vote to approve the defence spending bill that included the hate crimes measure “a milestone in helping protect Americans from the most heinous bias-motivated violence.”
This month Obama told the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest gay rights group, that the nation still needs to make significant changes to ensure equal rights for gays and lesbians.
“Despite the progress we’ve made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open,” he said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign. “This fight continues now, and I’m here with the simple message:
“I’m here with you in that fight.”
Among other things, Obama has called for the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
He also has urged Congress to pass laws to recognize same-sex marriages and extend family benefits now available to heterosexual federal employees to gay and lesbian federal workers.
More than 77,000 hate-crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007, or “nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade,” Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June.
The FBI, Holder added, reported 7,624 hate-crime incidents in 2007, the most current year with complete data.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
- Voices rise against 'unfair' verdict in Indian student's case - Mar 20, 2012
- Campaign against 'unfair' verdict in Indian case gathers momentum (Lead) - Mar 20, 2012
- US Justice Department probing NY Muslim cabby's throat slashing as possible hate crime - Sep 08, 2010
- Dharun Ravi finds support from gay rights advocates - May 21, 2012
- Gays join protest against verdict in Indian student's case - Mar 21, 2012
- FBI urged to check hate crimes against Sikh-Americans - Apr 20, 2012
- US judge puts global halt on 'don't ask, don't tell' policy - Oct 13, 2010
- Indicted Indian-American student's act a 'stupid teenage prank' - Feb 25, 2012
- U.S. Senate votes to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy - Dec 19, 2010
- What will Obama's gay turn cost? - May 14, 2012
- US shifts legal stance on gay marriage - Feb 24, 2011
- Obama backs equal rights to gays, but not same sex marriage - Jun 02, 2009
- Gay soldiers: US Congress votes to overturn military's 'don't ask, don't tell policy' - Dec 16, 2010
- Russian city to slap fine for promoting homosexuality - Feb 03, 2012
- US state may ban discussing homosexuality in schools - Apr 28, 2011
Tags: african american man, arun kumar, barack obama, crime law, defence spending, eric holder, federal crime, gay rights group, gays and lesbians, george w bush, hate crimes, human rights campaign, james byrd jr, matthew shepard, president george w bush, senate vote, sexual orientation, simple message, us senate, violent acts