Equality Illinois and the Human Rights Campaign joined political and civil-rights leaders last week to call for congressional support for a move to add sexual orientation to federal hate-crimes law.
EI Political Director Rick Garcia and HRC Illinois' Congressional District Coordinator Tom Chaderjian appeared with Lt. Gov. Corrine Wood and Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine at the Aug. 7, press conference at the Thompson Center.
"The gay and lesbian community continues to be under attack, and yet Congress has chosen to ignore the bruised, battered and murdered bodies of victims of hate violence," Garcia said. "How many battered, bruised, abused and murdered people will it take before our Congress acts?"
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act ( S 625/HR 1343 ) would, among other things, expand current federal law to include sexual orientation, gender and disability. It reportedly has bipartisan support from 195 representatives and 50 senators.
In calling for support for the bill, Chaderjian and Garcia detailed some of the nation's most recent incidents of anti-gay hate, including the shooting of a man in Nashville, and the beating deaths of a man in Las Vegas and a teen in Colorado.
Also joining the call for support was an emotional Sherialyn Birdsong, wife of hate-crime victim and Northwestern University Coach Ricky Birdsong. Birdsong was killed in July 1999 by white supremacist Benjamin Smith.
"I am not a politician or a public speaker, and the only press conferences that I was used to attending related to college basketball," she said. "Now I am a widow, a young widow ... because of a hate crime."
She tearfully related having to tell her three young children of their father's death and of how the family had initially been assured that he would be fine. Tuesday's event was the fourth press conference she has attended on the issue of hate crimes.
"I'm trying to understand the political process, but I can't understand why it seems to be so difficult to get something like this passed," she added.
Lt. Gov. Wood touted that Illinois officials have put aside partisan differences to stand "at the forefront of successful hate-crimes legislation."
Devine echoed that sentiment, noting the progress made in the state. "A hate crime is difficult because it is not only an attack on an individual, it is an attack on a community," he added. "It attempts to divide us, and we have to fight that."
Other speakers included Sheila Luecht of the American Association of University Women and Rene Luna, a disability activist with Access Living.
The event was part of UnitedAgainstHate.org, a national effort to get stronger federal hate-crimes laws passed. The project is being carried out by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, a coalition of over 180 organizations. Groups participating in the Chicago event include the Anti-Defamation League, People for the American Way and the AFL-CIO. After the press conference, Devine entertained several questions about his potential foray into the 2002 governor's race.
"I'm thinking hard about it, but I'm also doing my job," he said, noting that he will announce his decision in the next few weeks. He said the recent decision by Glenn Poshard not to run has opened up a base of support to other Democrats.
