Take Action to Help Pass the Hate Crimes Bill

Have you heard that the hate crimes bill is coming before Congress again? This is the bill that will set the tone for all other action Congress takes on LGBT issues. If the community fails to come together and push for this bill to pass Congress it will be very unlikely that we will see movement on the Employee Non-Discrimination Act or a repeal of Don't Ask Dont Tell. Even though this seems like it should be an easy victory for the LGBT community that may not be the case. There is still a significant amount of work to be done to make sure members of congress do the right thing and pass the Matthew Shepard Act. We have been waiting over 10 years to get this passed and the time is right with Obama in office. He is waiting to sign it - we just need to get it there.

The following is a call to action from the Human Rights Campaign. Please join me in taking action today.

I hope you'll join me in sending a message to Congress: we can't wait any longer for a federal law to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans from violent hate crimes. Take action at:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hate_crimes

Ordinary people are living in fear for their safety and their lives every day, in small towns and big cities. Hate crimes against LGBT people are on the rise, but the federal government has no direct authority to investigate, prosecute or help local law enforcement crack down.

We can't let this continue. We can't let friends and neighbors become targets for violence simply because of who they are.

Congress passed the hate crimes bill in 2007, but because of George Bush's veto threat, it never became law. And now, right-wing extremists are once again making outrageous claims that the bill would criminalize preachers, end free speech, and so on.

Will you help make sure their lies aren't the only things members of Congress are hearing about this bill? Please click below to send a note urging Congress to pass the Matthew Shepard Act.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hate_crimes

Thanks for your help.

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