Friday, June 08, 2007

Join The fight Against Hate Crimes on June 20th in Norfolk, VA


While I have my issues with the Human Rights Campaign - e.g., too many celebrity fund raising dinners and not enough working in the trenches - I and others on the HRBOR Board are working with HRC to help secure letters to Virginia's U. S. Senators to vote for passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. Here's the text of fliers being sent out (I could not get the actual flier to upload) drafted by HRBOR's president. Any readers in the Norfolk area are urged to attend.

Where: Skip’s Bar - Hampton Blvd (at 39th St.)Norfolk, VA

The Human Rights Campaign is coming to town to empower fair minded citizens in Hampton Roads to help pass the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. We can all have a voice, but we must use it for it to be effective. Show up at Skip’s Bar on June 20th anytime between 5pm and 9pm to write letters to your Senators. No one should live in fear that they will be targeted for who they are. Hate crimes terrorize an entire community, not just an individual person or family. Violent crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity constitute a significant portion of reported Hate Crimes nationwide, but there is NO federal law that protects individuals from being targeted because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

I know at least five people right here in Hampton Roads who are victims of a sexual orientation related hate crime. How many do you know? I’m doing this to bring them justice. Join me in bringing our victimized loved ones the peace of mind they deserve by protecting generations to come.

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