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Passing the Hate Crimes Bill in 90 Seconds

 

By Michael Cole
July 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am

Fight Hate NowDo you have a minute and a half today?  You must if you’re reading this.

The Matthew Shepard Act is coming to a vote on the Senate Floor THIS WEEK and we need you to make two calls… one to each Senator that will take no more than 45 seconds.

Call 202-224-3121 and tell each of your Senators to vote YES on the hate crimes bill.

Our allies on the Hill are reporting an avalanche of 300,000 letters and calls from right-wing groups trying to stop it. Anti-LGBT leaders like Focus on the Family’s James Dobson are now calling the bill “utter evil.” They’re even referring to it as the “Pedophile Protection Act.”

If you’ve never called Congress, it’s incredibly easy:

1.  Before 5 p.m. ET, call the Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and tell the operator you’d like to speak to the Senators from your state.  (You can also look up your Senator’s direct number here)

2.  Most likely, one of your senator’s interns will answer and ask where you’re calling from and why. You’re calling to urge the Senator to vote for the Matthew Shepard Act (S. 909). Most calls-end right there. But if you like, you can add:

  • Hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are on the rise.
  • One out of every six hate crimes is because of the victim’s sexual orientation.
  • Hate crimes have more than one victim. They are intended to create an atmosphere of fear and terrorize entire communities.

3.  Dial the switchboard again at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to the other Senator from your state and repeat step two.

4.  IMPORTANT: After you hang up, click here to let us know that you made the call. Don’t skip this step! It helps us track our progress.


Categories: Hate Crimes

 
 

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