Hate Crimes

Obama Campaign Vows Candidates Support of Federal Hate Crimes Legislation

Last week the Obama for President Campaign held on teleconference to the gay community outlining Barack Obama's support for National Hate Crimes legislation.  The conference was hosted by Mat Nosenchuck of the National LGBT Steering Committee for the Obama campaign.

U.S. Representative, John Conyers (D-MI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee stated that their purpose is to have sexual orientation and gender identity included in the National Hate Crimes Bill.

“The Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” Conyers said, “is the signature legal piece used against bias-motivated violent crimes. We've been working on this for years now.” He continued that the wording of the bill now makes it endorsable by the American Civil Liberties Union had been able to join with us. After passing the committee, the bill was passed by the House of Representative. The progress of the bill was slowed when entering the Senate because, as it stood, the President threatened to veto it. The Senate is now awaiting an appropriate non-related bill to attach the Hate Bill to in order to make it veto proof by the President.

Conyers stated that the bill had overwhelming support of hundreds of civil rights organizations, religious groups, civic and political groups, district attorneys and chiefs of police. “We are hopeful that before this 110th Congress ends, we will be able to get it on some legislation that, from our point of view, is veto-proof.”

Also present at the conference was Damian Skipper, brother of Ryan Skipper who, at 25, was attacked and murdered in 2007. Two men have been arrested for the crime but have not been charged under federal hate-crimes laws. Ryan was stabbed over twenty times, throat was slit and his body was dumped on a dirt road.

Statistics from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs show that hate crimes against LGBT Americans have increased 24% since 2006. The highest increase in these crimes was in Michigan with a with a 207% increase.

The House Judiciary Committee is hopeful that President George Bush would sign the legislation into law however, if he does not, Senator Barack Obama has pledged that if he were to be elected President, he would sign the bill.