What is the Matthew Shepard Act?

Question

What is it?
Who is debating it?
Why should anyone care?
What can they do?

Answer 1

The first answer has the most important information, but as background, there are many states that have included sexual orientation in their hate-crimes legislation. The simply allows greater punishments for assaults that are committed against someone simply because they are a member of a traditionally hated group.

The Matthew Shepard Act puts these same sexual orientation laws in place with the Federal government. It allows Federal prosecution when a state does not have sexual orientation hate-crime laws or fails to enforce them. Similar laws were used to help end violence against African-Americans during the 1960s & 70s in the South. As a result, the entire culture of the South underwent a sea change and brought lynchings to a virtual halt.

It is hoped that violence toward gay people would be similarly ended with the enactment of these laws. They help raise the consciousness of the populace, give law enforcement officers greater flexibility in arresting assailants, and lead to more appropriate convictions. This is not to say that it leads to greater jail terms, but it does give judges the opportunity to put sensitivity training into a sentence, in addition to having the opportunity to violate parole for participating in later hate-promoting activities.

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By the way, for Cheyl D (below me): The hate crimes act refers to acts of VIOLENCE that are committed against people for their class distinction, not speech. The only time such speech would be restricted is when it is directly associated with assault(s). She is simply either misinformed or lying.

Here is wording from the HRC fact sheet on the legislation:
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias motivated violence by providing the Department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

The LLEHCPA provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. The LLEHCPA also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

Answer 2

It is an act that will persecute commiters of hate crimes against people based on their gender/orientation, etc.

Some are saying that it is a bad act, because it is used to "persecute Christians and their beliefs."

Because we have to be tolerant of the intolerant, you know?

Answer 3

H.R. 1592: it would give the federal government authority to prosecute hate crimes that target people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender and disability. Under existing law, federal authorities already have the power to prosecute hate crimes based on race, color, national origin and religion.

Right-wing doesn't like it. Why? I don't know. Maybe they would like to continue harassing gays with out consequence.

Answer 4

thank you, SoberLibra. I have been given the comparable e mail and that i observed as my senators already (Brown and Voinovich). Brown is a co-sponsor, Voinovich isn't. C'mon, kin! call your senators in this! Peace!!!

Answer 5

The Matthew Shepherd Act is an infringement on our first amendment the right to free speech. It does not provide anyhting for anyonein specific. It takes away the right for pasors to tell their congragation that homosexuality is wrong from the pulpit. It ytakes way the rights of any decent citizen to speak up against homosexuals and homosexuality. I do not understand why less then 2% of the population is getting selected for special treatment. Our Native Americans don't even have that sort of lobby.

Answer 6

Its an act thats supposed to prevent hate crime.
(im sorry if this is off subject but when you answered my question and asked if he was THAT scary(my dad) he really is.