CenterLink Praises Historic Passage of Hate Crimes Bill
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
By: Guido Sanchez

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers is happy to announce that President Obama has signed the Defense Authorization Act, including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA). Now see our update include photos from the event!

Hate Crimes Signed Into Law Moments Ago By President Obama

A great and historic moment in the fight for LGBT equality in America occurred on October 28th as President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. After passing in both the House and the Senate by comfortable margins, and receiving today's signature from the President, the new law extends authority to fully investigate and prosecute bias-motivated crimes where the victim has been targeted because of actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

"I cannot begin to express the joy and thankfulness I feel today," said Terry Stone, Executive Director of CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers. "We applaud everyone who worked tirelessly to get this bill passed, and look forward to continuing our work for full equality for the LGBT community."

The passing of this act is a milestone. For the first time both Houses of Congress and the President have said, via legislation, that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans are equal Americans, and they deserve to be protected against attacks and protected from bias.

While the legislative process is slow, we must see this for what it is: the first major civil rights legislative victory in the history of the LGBT movement, and proof that progress is possible. The passing of this bill will also draw national attention to the amount of violence faced by LGBT people every day.

In the months to come many other major pieces of LGBT related legislation will hit Congress, beginning with the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). If the Hate Crimes Act taught us anything, it is that we can get Congress to pass pro-LGBT legislation. ENDA is a vital next step to recognize and protect the rights and safety of LGBT Americans.

The Hate Crimes act could not have been passed were it not for the hundreds of thousands of ordinary people like you who reached out to their members of Congress. All those letters, e-mails, telephone conversations and personal meetings are what helped convince your Representatives and Senators to do what is right. For ENDA, we need even more people to get involved.

Please join us in the coming months in reaching out to Congress to get ENDA passed, and be part of real changes in the lives of members of the LGBT community across the country.

President Obama, as photographed during the event by Terry Stone, CenterLink's Executive Director.

Hate Crimes Reception (L to R): Dana Beyer, Terry Stone (CenterLink Executive Director), Cyndi Lauper, Kendall Clawson (CenterLink Board Member and Portland Center Director), Rebecca Dansky