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GUEST: Peter Montgomery, Vice President of Communications of People for the American Way

Last Thursday, the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act” passed the House of Representatives by a 237-180 vote. The bill would expand the scope of existing federal hate crime categories to include a person’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. It would also expand the jurisdiction of federal law enforcement in prosecuting violent hate crime cases. The proposed legislation would constitute the first major expansion of the hate crime statute since it was first enacted in 1968. However, should the Hate Crimes Bill pass the Senate, as is expected, the White House has noted its intention to use its veto power. The veto is being justified on the grounds that there is no need to federalize such hate crime legislation and that groups such as the elderly, the military, and police are not included in the broadened categories. Religious right wing organizations have pressured the Bush administration as they feel the bill would somehow stifle their 1st amendment rights. They especially fear that their ability to speak out against homosexuality will be criminalized.

For more information, visit www.pfaw.org.