Obama Deserves Praise for Signing Hate Crimes Law

As a legally blind lesbian, I celebrated on Oct. 28 when the president signed the Matthew Shepard and James Boyd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

This legislation, sought by gay and lesbian and other civil rights groups for more than 10 years, enlarges the definition of federal hate crimes to include those committed based on sexual orientation, gender or disability.

We, who are vulnerable because of who we love or our bodily differences, applaud these protections.

The bill is named in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student who was beaten and murdered in 1998, and James Byrd Jr., a black man who was dragged to his death in Texas in the same year. The legislation strengthens already existing hate crimes protections, dating back as far as 1968. The new law also allows the Justice Department to assist in the prosecution of hate crimes motivated by bias against the victim’s disability, gender or sexuality.

More at: Baltimore Sun!