[HANASHIR:1912] request for action: Matthew Shepard

[Rachel Gurevitz <rgurevit...>]

Dear all,

Apologies in advance to those who prefer the list not to be used for these
things.  However, given Janeen K's request and soundings of support on this
list re: prayers and Mi Sheberach's for Matthew Shephard in October, I
thought that some of you might wish to follow this up with some social
action/tikkun olam and support the following petition.

Regards,
Rachel 

PS. Please note the instructions included below for the most e-mail
friendly way of forwarding this mailing


On October 6, outside Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old
University of Wyoming student, was tortured, beaten, and left tied to a
pole in the freezing cold. Six days later, he died of his wounds in
Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins, Colorado.  Matthew was murdered
because he was gay and because he was a prominent and charismatic member of
the gay and lesbian student group on campus.  Right now Wyoming and
Colorado have no anti-hate crime laws; the state legislature in Wyoming has
voted down anti-bias bills for each of the past three years.

here is an effort in Wyoming and Colorado to enact Matthew Shepard Laws,
which would strongly punish the perpetrators of hate crimes.  This petition
demands the broadening of federal anti-hate crime law.

Opening Statement:

"As a religious voice, we state strongly that violence on the basis of
sexual orientation, race or gender is wrong, is evil, is reprehensible."
 -John Buehren,
President of The Unitarian Universalist Association, speaks for Unitarian
Universalists but his words are reflected in the hearts of people
everywhere who believe we must speak out, take action against, and condemn
hate crimes in all their ugly forms.

A resolution follows:

WHEREAS: We affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every
person; and

WHEREAS: We commend the efforts of those individuals who dedicate their
lives to causes of social justice and human rights; and

WHEREAS: We support actions that protect the individual's rights of life,
liberty and pursuit of happiness.

HEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That we hereby urge the passage of The Hate Crimes
Prevention Act (HCPA), H.R.3081 and S.1529 (The Hate Crimes Prevention Act
(HCPA), H.R.3081 and
S.1529, would amend current federal law (which permits federal prosecution
of a hate crime >only if the crime was motivated by bias based on religion,
national origin, or color) to include real or perceived sexual orientation,
gender, and disability so the FBI would be able to investigate and
prosecute violent hate crimes against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.

Under this bill, hate crimes that cause death or bodily injury because of
prejudice can be investigated federally, regardless of whether the victim
was exercising a federally protected right.

The only way that our representatives can be aware of the base of support
for this change to the current law is by making our voices heard.

Please add your name to this petition and forward it to friends who believe
in what it stands for. The petition will then be forwarded to the President
of The United States; the Vice President of the United States; and our
United States Senators and House
Members.

Petition Management:

1. This petition is being passed around the Internet.  Please add your name
to it so that we can have tougher laws against all hate crimes.

Please keep the petition rolling. Do not reply to me. Please sign and
forward to others to sign. This is being forwarded to several people at
once to add their names. It will not matter if many people receive the same
list as the names are being managed.

2. If you print out this petition for circulation and signing please email
the listing of names with locations to the email address:

AllRunique (at) aol(dot)com (an email address created to receive this petition).
Include a note to dicate you have a hand-signed petition and include the
number of names listed.

3. If you happen to be the 100th, 150th, 200th, 250th, this petition,
please forward a copy to the email address:  AllRunique (at) aol(dot)com

4. If you sign, please pass it on to others. If not, please do not kill it.
Send it on to the email address:  AllRunique (at) aol(dot)com

Thank You
Leslie Palmer

I can not stay silent, my outrage and compassion will not allow.
 -------------------------------------------
Note: It is preferable that you Select the entirety of this letter and then
COPY it into a new outgoing message, add your name to the bottom of the
list, then send it on. Or if option is available, do a SEND AGAIN

Sign Here:

1) Leslie Palmer, Jacksonville, FL
2) Stephen Silverman, South Burlington, VT
3) Wayne Arnason
4) Theo Diamond, Charlottesville, Va
3) Wayne Arnason
4) Theo Diamond, Charlottesville, Va
5) Sasha Kopf, Northampton, MA / Princeton, NJ
6) Geoffrey B. Metz, Tufts Univ., Medford, MA
7) Emily Sporl, Tufts University, Medford, MA
8.) Tai Collins, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
9.) Danielle Lazarin, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
10.) Priscilla Morales, Yale University, New Haven, CT
11.) Lydia Pace, Yale University, New Haven, CT
12.) Julia Goren, Williams College, Williamstown, MA
13.) Jamie Waxman, Columbia University
14.) Rebecca Zimmerman, Columbia University, NY
15.) Ariel Meyerstein, Columbia University, NY
16.) Naomi Richman, Goucher College, MD
17.) Aaron Finkel, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO
18.) Sally Noedel, Truman State Univ., Kirksville, MO
19.) Kim Cook, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
20.) Molly Mitchell, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
21.) Jeremy Schwab, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
20.) Molly Mitchell, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
21.) Jeremy Schwab, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
22.) Aaron Manheim, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
23.) Rebecca pronsky, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
24.) Rebecca Milburn, Wesleyan Univ., Middletown, CT
25.) Christene DeJong, Wesleyan Univ., Middletown, CT
26.) Lisa Lapman, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
27.) Julia Sussner, Wellesley College, MA
28.) Adrian Dellecker, Trinity College, CT
29.) Sarah Mullen, Trinity College, CT
30.) Phu Thai, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
31.) Leigh Phillips, Wheaton College, Norton, MA
32.) Matthew Small, Heidelberg College, Tiffin, OH
33.) June Bumanglag, Hilo Hawaii
34.) Vera Goo, San Francisco, CA
35.) Jeanne M. Joe, Los Angeles, CA
36.) Jacey Erwin, Los Angeles, CA
37.) Bea Nieves, Los Angeles, CA
38.) Stacie Milmeister, Los Angeles, CA
37.) Bea Nieves, Los Angeles, CA
38.) Stacie Milmeister, Los Angeles, CA
39.) Ron Altoonian, San Francisco, CA
40.) Gabriel Wasserman, San Francisco, CA
41.) Laura Gobbi, Berkeley, CA
42.) Joanna Hearne, Tucson, AZ
43.) Elizabeth Alvarado, Tucson, AZ
44.) Kathryn Alvarado, Tucson, AZ
45.) Fernando Alvarado, Tucson AZ
46.) Gloria Espinoza, Tucson, AZ
47.) Kelly Kochmann, Allendale, MI
48.) Ellen Simonson, University of Houston, Houston, TX
49.) Houston Deeboockum, University of Houston,
Houston, TX
50.) Robyn Dancel, Southwest Texas State University,
San Marcos,
TX
51.) Robert Metcalfe, SWTSU, San Marcos, TX
52.)Deanna Stout,SWTSU, San Marcos,tx
51.) Robert Metcalfe, SWTSU, San Marcos, TX
52.)Deanna Stout,SWTSU, San Marcos,tx
53.) Sara Wheeler, University of Texas,  Austin TX
54.) Charles Kremer, University of Texas, Austin TX
54.)Angeline Van Zant, University of Texas, Austin TX
55.) Brett Overfield, Syracuse University, NY
56.) Kristen M. Dansby, University of Florida, FL
57.) Svea Strommes, Jakarta, Indonesia
58.) Kirsteen Mack, Jakarta, Indonesia
59.) Kathryn Fisher, Bedford, Texas
60.) Mark Fisher, Madison, WI
61.) Andy Toebben, Lubbock, Texas
62.) Patty Myung, Seattle, WA
63.) Bradley Schleyer, Somerville, MA
64.) Melissa M. Blackman, Somerville, MA
65.) R. Jaye Okuyama
66.) Crystal M. Coveney, N. Augusta, SC
67.) Shannon G. Allen, Killeen, Tx
68.) Lane L. Gibson, Killeen, Tx
69.) Wendy Hurd, Salt Lake City, Utah
70.) Anna Furniss, Logan, Utah
71.) Reid J. Furniss, Logan, Utah
72.) Rick Robinette, Twin Falls, ID
73.) Melanie Buckner, Salt Lake City, UT
74.)Susan H. Mullarky, Tucson, AZ
75.) Ann Markewitz, Tucson, AZ
76.) Patricia Lindgren, Tucson, AZ
77.) Barbara Klein, Orinda, CA
78.) Elizabet Jameeson, Albuquerque, NM
79)Min Kantrowitz, Albuquerque, NM
80) Rachel Gurevitz, Middx, UK