As International Hate Crimes Escalate, Human Rights First Urges Senate to Strengthen U.S. Laws

Passage of Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act Provides Crucial Protections, Offers United States the Opportunity to Lead by Example

More About Discrimination » Email» Share & Bookmark Subscribe

Washington, DC – Human Rights First (HRF) is urging the U.S. Senate to pass legislation that would strengthen protections against hate crimes throughout the nation and abroad. According to a letter sent to Senators today, passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S. 909) would fortify existing laws by permitting federal authorities to assist local and state governments in hate crimes investigations, a step that enables the United States to demonstrate its commitment to fighting hate crimes at home and lead by example abroad.

“Hate crimes are on the rise in the United States and around the world,” said Paul LeGendre, Director of HRF’s Fighting Discrimination Program. “In addition to giving U.S. authorities the tools they need to combat bias-motivated violence and protect Americans from a pernicious form of discrimination, this legislation will allow the United States to lead by example and help other nations combat these harmful acts of violence.”

In 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigations documented 7,624 U.S. hate crimes directed against institutions and individuals because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. According to HRF’s 2008 Hate Crimes Survey, similar crimes are on the rise across Europe and the former Soviet Union, a region where the majority of governments are failing to adequately address the problem. Though the United States has led efforts to confront this scourge through its foreign policy and engagement in multilateral institutions such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, HRF today told the Senate that passage of S. 909 would carry significant weight to encourage foreign leaders to toughen their own hate crimes response.

“Behind the statistics are individuals, families, and communities deeply impacted by these violent crimes. By undermining the shared value of equality and nondiscrimination, violent hate crimes also threaten the very fabric of the increasingly diverse society in which we live,” HRF Chief Executive Officer Elisa Massimino wrote in the organization’s letter to the Senate. “Enactment of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act would demonstrate enhanced global leadership by the United States on this issue, enabling the United States more effectively to encourage other governments to strengthen their responses to hate crimes.”

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act has been endorsed by 26 state Attorneys General, a number of the nation’s most important law enforcement organizations, more than 275 national civil rights, professional, civic, education, and religious groups. The Senate expects to take up this measure within the coming weeks. A similar bill won widespread support in the 110th Congress, including 60 Senate votes. Last month, by a vote of 249-175, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913), its own version of S. 909. The Obama Administration has indicated that it supports the bill and plans to sign it into law.

- 30 -