Hate Crimes Bill, Our Story
Welcome to Hatecrimesbill.org. This site tells three unfolding American stories about the Hate Crimes Bill.
The first story concerns the painful reality of violence in America based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Since May, 2007 when H.R. 1592 passed in the House of Representatives, we have blogged news stories about the deaths of Aaron Hall, Amancio Corrales, Bill Clayton, Erika Keels, Kenneth Cummings, Nakia Ladelle Baker, Oscar Mosqueda, Paul Broussard, Roberto Duncanson, Ruby Rodriguez, Ryan Skipper, Satendar Singh, Sean Kennedy, Sean Owen, Steven Domer, Terrance Aeriel, Dashon Harvey, Lofemi Hightowner, Natasha Aeriel, Lawrence King and Simmie Williams Jr. This list does not include numerous gay-bashings. And these are just the stories that have surfaced on the Internet.
The second story concerns the Hate Crimes Bill itself. Frederick M. Lawrence, Dean of George Washington University Law School, calls the Hate Crimes Bill the "most important piece of Federal criminal civil rights legislation in nearly forty years, and, in some ways, the most important such legislation since Reconstruction." What is hate crime law all about? Who are the lawmakers pushing for the bill in the House and the Senate? How did our Representatives and Senators vote? What organizations support the bill?
The third story concerns the Christian Right's opposition to the Hate Crimes Bill. This is the most perplexing story of all. How do people who believe that all human beings are made in the image of God oppose a bill that protects their fellow image-bearers? How do people who believe in loving your neighbor as yourself not rise to protect their neighbors? How do people who believe "You shall not kill" oppose a bill that prevents killing? By way of contrast, Agudath Israel of America, a respected Orthodox Jewish group, openly support the Hate Crimes Bill.
You can learn about the Christian Right's opposition to the Hate Crimes Bill in Open Letter to the Senate and The Veto Threat. The Hate Crimes Bill went to Conference attached to the Defense Authorization Act in an attempt to shield it from the veto threat. The bill had already passed in the House (237 Yeas, 180 Nays and 16 no votes) and the Senate (60 Yeas, 39 Nays and 1 no votes). On December 6, 2007, the Hate Crimes Bill was stripped out of the Defense Authorization Act and died in Conference. The bill never reached the President. The footprints of the Christian Right are there as well.
As of May 7, 2008, the Evangelical Christian community have strongly denounced the work of the Christian Right by publishing An Evangelical Manifesto. With some criticism, we view this Manifesto as a positive development for the Evangelical Christian community.
Hatecrimesbill.org was established by Antony Hebblethwaite. Antony has a Master of Divinity Degree from Covenant Theological Seminary and a Master of Science Degree from DePaul University. He works for Reconciling Ministries Network as their Communication Coordinator.
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