We did some number crunching and came up with some interesting statistics on the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that will tomorrow become law (more at www.LoveConquersHate.org). Since the bill was introduced:
86,582 total hate crimes reported since the introduction of the first hate crimes bill on November 13, 1997. Of that reported number, 13,528 of those hate crimes have been based on sexual orientation;
More than 1 million emails/faxes and phone calls sent to Capitol Hill since 2002 in support of hate crimes legislation;
More than 300 organizations (civil rights, religious, law enforcement, etc) who signed on in support of the Matthew Shepard Act;
Over 600,000 YouTube views of our hate crimes advocacy videos;
14 floor votes in the House and the Senate over twelve years to finally get the bill to the President’s desk;
At least 26 states whose Attorneys General have supported the hate crimes bill since its’ introduction;
1 President who was an early supporter of hate crimes legislation; 1 who did all he could to stop a hate crimes law for the LGBT community and 1 who will sign it into law.
The Human Rights Campaign's perspective on the news, issues and events affecting the every day lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the country.
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