Ted Kennedy: Fearless Leader in the Fight against Hate Crime

Senator Kennedy's prolific career spanned nearly five decades, during which he authored more than 2,500 bills in the U.S. Senate. Several hundred have become public law. This fall we hope to add yet another bill to that distinguished list - the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Ted Kennedy was one of the Senate's earliest champions in the fight against hate crime. Since the early 1990s, Senator Kennedy has called for better government response to the growing problem of violence motivated by racism, religious intolerance, sexual orientation bias or other similar factors. For example, in one of his most courageous political moments, Senator Kennedy argued in favor of legislation protecting those who face violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. He spoke out after realizing that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, as well as those who seek to protect their rights, have been threatened by a particularly aggressive wave of bias-motivated violence.

Senator Kennedy later went to on to compare hate crimes to "acts of domestic terrorism" and worked tirelessly to pass hate crimes legislation in the Senate. In 2007, he joined Sen. Gordon Smith in a bipartisan effort to pass the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The bill failed to advance in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but that not deter Senator Kennedy. He continued to fight, and just this year, the Senate adopted this critical measure as part of the Defense Authorization Bill.

Human Rights First is one of many U.S. rights groups supporting the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as it will help to ensure that law enforcement authorities have the tools they need to combat violent hate crime in the United States. This bill could prove to be one of the nation's strongest weapons to date to protect those who are most vulnerable to bias-motivated violence. These crimes -- including assaults on individuals, damage to homes and personal property, and attacks on places of worship, cemeteries, community centers, and schools -- undermine our shared values of equality and nondiscrimination, ideals that Senator Kennedy worked his whole life to promote.

Senator Ted Kennedy was a longtime friend of the human rights movement and a powerful supporter of social justice and democracy at home and throughout the world. He had a keen understanding of the courage and tenacity it takes to overcome adversity and to find the way forward when the odds seem insurmountable. This fall, we sincerely hope that President Obama will follow in his footsteps by signing the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.

Watch Human Rights First's Tribute to Edward Moore Kennedy.

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Comments

[tryandgetsomecommonsense]

We all know Matthew Shephard was a drug-deal gone bad....his death had nothing to do with his being gay -- so let's get past that one first.

Now, with regard to "Hate Crimes" -- it is another example of why America will be glad to have one less proponent in the Senate to champion it. Let's be clear on what H.C. bills are -- they make THOUGHTS, IDEAS AND BELIEFS illegal.

In a FREE country -- we are FREE to believe, think and worship in any way we please. Once a person commits a CRIME -- THAT ILLEGAL ACT is what a person should be prosecuted for -- NOT what thought, idea, or belief may or may not have been in their mind when they committed a crime.

You see, I'm FREE to beieve homosexuality is wrong -- but I'm not free to assault, steal, or murder someone. People assault, steal, and murder people every day in this country. Prosecute them for THOSE CRIMES -- it really doesn't matter what was in their mind at the time, (other than matters of insanity, etc.).

[H.C. legislation attempts to make disagreement with homosexuality WRONG for a criminal -- and therefore make it "wrong" for the rest of us too...?...­.or does it?]

Once you start making THOUGHTS, IDEAS AND BELIEFS illegal -- you might as well flush the rest of your liberties too.

Prosecute the CRIME -- not the BELIEF.

[menmykoko]

I wish I could look up to more Senators and representatives of the people like I did Ted Kennedy.

[Liberal Angel]

He is my hero. I aspire to be a "Liberal Lion" of his magnitude. He was the spine and juevos of the Democrats. I hope there are enough enlightened people in Congress to pass that bill. I can't get married, but at least if the hate the right promotes finally kills me, I'll have some justice that way. I'm nervous about how the Democrats are going to do without him.

[TurnToTheLeft]

I hear you. I am in the same boat with you. We just lost a strong beacon of light. Ted Kennedy knew and appreciated that he was born into a privileged family and with that privilege he felt responsible to help those born without. He could not be bought or bullied. He devoted his life to extending basic human rights and fairness to everyone. I cannot think of any other legislator who comes close. You picked a good political role model.

[tryandgetsomecommonsense]

Maybe you aught to get a new "hero."

Ted Kennedy's failed ideas won't "save" you -- and putting "faith" in people or legislation is asking for disappointment every time.

[Liberal Angel]

Truly tactless. I'm a gay black man and I know he was a true crusader for my rights, and the rights of millions of other targeted Americans. He was crucial in getting civils rights legislation passed, and what good healthcare we do have. I ought not get another hero, because he stood for the things I stand for. He was willing to serve almost 50 years of public service with the "curse" hanging over his head. He was uncompromising in his character and beliefs. His values are my values. I never claimed he could "save" me. If I didn't have faith in some people, yes even some legislation, I wouldn't be a functional person. Only paranoid people have such malaise about other people that way. Life is full of disapointments. If you think you're gonna get through it without that, you're in for a big surprise. Sen. Kennedy was a great man with great ideas. How is striving to better society a "failed idea"?

[BarryS]

None of which have yet to be passed into law. Clearly he didn't have enough influence. Decades of failure, lost opportunities, and futile compromises.