Hate Crimes Bill Passes House

The Hate Crimes bill passed the House. This is a bill to include gender and sexual orientation to an existing law that has been on the books for 40 years that already includes race, color, national origin and religion. Here is the news story.

Protecting All Americans. Under the current federal law, enacted nearly 40 years ago, the government has the authority to help investigate and prosecute bias-motivated attacks based on race, color, national origin and religion and because the victim was attempting to exercise a federally protected right. For example, authorities became involved in a Salt Lake City case where James Herrick set fire to a Pakistani restaurant on Sept. 13, 2001. Herrick was sentenced to 51 months’ incarceration on Jan. 7, 2002, after pleading guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 245.

However, under current law, the federal government is not able to help in cases where women, gay, transgender or disabled Americans are victims of bias-motivated crimes for who they are. For example, in Texas, in July 2005, four men brutally assaulted a gay man. While punching and kicking him, whipping him with a vacuum chord and assaulting him with daggers, the offenders told the victim that they attacked him because he was gay. Two of the men were sentenced to six years in prison under a plea bargain that dropped the charges that could have sent them to prison for life. Under this bill, federal authorities would have had the jurisdiction to prosecute the crime or could have provided local authorities resources that might have assisted them in pursuing a longer sentence. (Read More)

Now it is on the to the Senate. You can see how your representative voted here.



Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Judy Shepard, mother of hate crime victim Matthew Shepard, embrace after hearing the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. (Link)




In January of 2003, I had submitted this letter to my local paper in favor of legislation to include gender and sexual orientation to the Montana hate crimes bill. It didn't pass then, but someday it will.

I hope that all Montanans will encourage our legislators to support House Bill 52 that would extend protection on hate crime legislation to include gender, disability and sexual orientation. No one should live in fear of violence and harassment simply for being who they are. The Human Rights Campaign has important information about sexual orientation and gender identity and how crucial it is to be free to be open and honest about one's identity. According to its Web site: "'Coming out' means identifying and accepting yourself as a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person" (www.hrc.org).

After that important step is taken, a person may decide to "come out" to a trusted friend, family member, doctor, counselor, etc. Coming out is also the most effective way to promote tolerance and understanding.

It is also important for friends, family and others to come out as straight allies to demonstrate solidarity and support. As a Christian and a minister of the gospel, it has been important for me to come out as a straight ally. Certain interpretations of both the Bible and the Christian tradition have been used to deny basic human rights (and worse) to gay and lesbian people. I believe that Jesus preached and lived justice, dignity and compassion. I highly recommend Peter Gomes' "The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart" (New York: William Morrow and Company), 1996.

HB 52 will send the important message that hate is neither a Montana nor a Christian value. If you have questions as to how a minister deals with these issues, I can be reached at johnshuck@imt.net. Someday all of God's children will be valued, celebrated and treated with dignity. Until that day, I will continue to come out as a straight ally.

Help us make our nation safe for all people. Here is one way to help.