Hundreds gathered to remember Arthur "JR" Warren, Jr. at a candlelight vigil July 20 in Washington, DC. The brilliantly lit Capitol dome offered a dramatic backdrop for calls to pass federal hate-crimes legislation, at the event organized by the Human Rights Campaign.
Warren, 26, was kicked and stomped to death July 4 near his home in Grant Town, West Virginia. The perpetrators took turns driving a car over his body to make it look like a car accident. Many believe that he was killed because he was Black and gay, while local police say that that the killers' motives remain unclear.
"This kind of overkill is very typical of hate crimes," said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of HRC. "Those committing the crimes are not just hurting a single human being, they are unleashing a torrent of rage to send a terrifying message to a number of communities. It is a kind of domestic terrorism." She called on the House of Representatives to "follow the wisdom of the Senate" and pass hate-crimes legislation.
"Killings are deterred by strong enforcement of the laws," said Eleanor Holmes Norton, the non-voting delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia. "But first there must be law. There is some law in West Virginia and in the federal statutes, but the law does not cover all of who JR was. Thus any prosecution is likely to go forward with one hand tied behind the prosecutor's back." She said that Congress is "morally compelled" to act on hate-crimes legislation.
"I remember watching on television the vigil for Matthew Shepard," and thinking, "Why is there no one from my party from the United States Senate there? And I wondered secondly, what is it that I can do?" Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., told the crowd.
He became a principal sponsor of hate-crimes legislation. "While our version may not be perfect, it does have the ability to change hearts and minds. I believe that when things like this happen, on the Fourth of July, the federal government has a reason to show up and defend an American citizen."
In a related matter, the FBI announced that they are opening an independent parallel investigation into the death of JR. They will have jurisdiction under existing federal law if they determine that the crime was racially motivated.
Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said the coalition group of major organizations concerned with civil rights is launching a United Against Hate grassroots mobilization to pass hate-crimes legislation in this session of Congress.
Information is available at www.UnitedAgainstHate.org .
Elizabeth Toledo, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, reminded the vigil that West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd was the only Democrat to vote against hate-crimes legislation when it passed the Senate last month.
JR's mother, Brenda Warren, thanked God and those gathered for their support. "I have no hate for no one tonight,," she told the crowd, "I don't see no color, all I see is the love."
She said they opened the casket at the funeral "to let people see what hate does. Hate kills. No one—no one—should ever have to bear that… Please, please, let this be the last time."
Chicago's Church of the Open Door and Chicago Anti-Bashing Network are sponsoring a Chicago speakout to protest the murder of Warren, Friday, Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m., 5954 S. Albany.
