Obama Signs Matthew Shepard Bill

10/28/09-by Paula Brooks signing
10 years ago Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard was brutally attacked and murdered because he was gay, today, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act, critical legislation that strengthens existing U.S. laws by extending federal hate crime protection in cases where the victim was targeted because of their sexual orientation, gender, disability, or gender identity.

In front of an East Room audience that included, Vice President Joseph Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder, Members of Congress, Department of Defense senior civilian and military officials, the Shepherd and Byrd families, Mrs. Vicki Kennedy, and members of the Kennedy family, Obama said before signing the bill, “After more than a decade of opposition we passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray or who they are.”

The new law will also permit federal authorities to assist local governments in hate crime investigations and increase their capacity through training programs.

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today’s signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality. Although this is a major step in fighting the scourge of hate violence, it is not the end of the road. As a community, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to changing not only laws but also hearts and minds. We know that hate crimes not only harm individuals, but they terrorize entire communities. After more than a decade of advocacy, local police and sheriffs’ departments now have the full resources of the Justice Department available to them.”

As a lesbian all I can say is… I am crying as I type this article, because I feel like I am finally on the way to being a citizen in my own country…