Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Call Your U.S. Rep to Stop Hate Crimes and to Support H.R. 1913

Call your member of Congress toll-free at 866-346-4611 TODAY, April 28th and urge support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) (The Matthew Shepard Act) to fight hate crimes and ensure safety and security for all people.

Congress will vote on The Matthew Shepard Act tomorrow! Please act today!

In our increasingly diverse nation, hate crimes are a persistent problem. Although there are laws on the books to deter hate crimes, protect victims, and prosecute crimes, significant improvements can still be made.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913) known as The Matthew Shepard Act expands the coverage of existing hate crime laws to include not only victims of crime based on race, color, religion, and national origin, but also bias-motivated crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. H.R. 1913 also provides for federal involvement in prosecuting hate crimes in states where current law or local actions are inadequate.

Hate crimes cut across all of our communities and The Matthew Shepard Act (H.R. 1913) is needed to ensure that all people have the right to be safe and free from physical harm and intimidation. Call your representative toll-free at 866-346-4611, Tuesday, April 28th, and urge support of H.R. 1913 to fight hate crimes and provide safety and security for all people.

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