Response From Senator Michael Bennet

Dear Shannon:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. I appreciate hearing from you.

Current federal hate crimes law protects individuals from violence based on race, gender, religion or nationality. As you may know, this legislation would expand this protection to individuals who suffer violence based on sexual orientation and give local law enforcement officials the tools they need to vigorously prosecute alleged hate crime offenders. Furthermore, it would expand the authority of the federal government to prosecute alleged hate crime offenders when local officials are unable or unwilling to do so. The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act was offered as an amendment to National Defense Authorization Act (S.AMDT.1511 to S.1390) and agreed to by the Senate on July 16, 2009. The National Defense Authorization Act was passed by the Senate on July 23, 2009. I was a cosponsor to the Matthew Sheppard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act when it was originally introduced by Senator Kennedy (S.909), and I was proud to join a bipartisan majority of my colleagues in supporting this amendment.

The murder of Angie Zapata in Greeley in 2008 and the recent conviction of her murderer under Colorado hate crimes law underscore the importance of providing law enforcement and prosecutors the necessary tools to combat these crimes. Hate crimes instill fear in members of minority groups and undermine the great American ideal of a tolerant, diverse society. I supported this legislation because I believe we must take proactive steps toward preventing and prosecuting these terrible acts of violence.

Despite provisions in the bill that explicitly reaffirm religious liberty and freedom of speech, I know that some are concerned that this legislation would restrict these fundamental American rights. Let me be clear: this legislation will have no effect on the faiths or individual conscience of law-abiding citizens. Rather, it strengthens the ability to prosecute those who have committed violence against another person. Protecting the dignity of every person in our country is a fundamental American interest.

I value the input of fellow Coloradans in considering the wide variety of important issues and legislative initiatives that come before the Senate. I hope you will continue to inform me of your thoughts and concerns.

For more information about my priorities as a U.S. Senator, I invite you to visit my website at http://bennet.senate.gov/. Again, thank you for contacting me.


Sincerely,

Michael Bennet
United States Senator

Back in February of 2000, I co-chaired the annual Human Rights Campaign dinner in Denver. Being involved with HRC was an amazing experience and I will always feel humbled and honored to have been a part of an organization that works so tirelessly to champion the rights of the LGBT community. What rights might these be? Special rights? No. Equal rights - the same rights that every single heterosexual person is automatically entitled to under our country's constitution. Yet, somehow, these rights don't apply to gay people and there's not one single person on this planet who can explain to me why.

Judy Shepard was seated at my table for the dinner that evening; with her was Shane Meier, the young actor who played her son in The Matthew Shepard Story. Matthew had only been gone 16 months so the pain was still so clearly and understandably evident on Judy's face.

I don't really feel like getting into this - it's too painful - another time, maybe. All I know is that these crimes have to stop. But if they continue, and they will, then the consequences of the perpetrators should match the crime. Enough is enough.