I'm forwarding you a message from our legislative director,
Allison - the vote on hate crimes will be Thursday, and she's
got some disturbing news.
Apparently legislators are being so heavily bombarded with calls
and emails from the radical right that some are getting very
nervous about voting for the bill. Knowing how close we are,
that's not good.
EVEN IF YOU'VE ALREADY CALLED YOUR REPRESENTATIVE about
this bill, and even if they've said they'll vote for it, we need
you to pick up the phone RIGHT NOW and remind them of your
support.
>> Call Representative ((removed))
For talking points, and to tell us you called, go to:
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/ct/LpetUl41ezTA/Thank you so much,
Joe Solmonese
-----Original Message-----
>From: Allison Herwitt
>To: Joe Solmonese
>Subject: Thursday
>
>I got my hands on the latest House vote schedule. The vote on
hate crimes is going to be Thursday.
>
>I also just returned from talking to two key democratic
leadership staffers, who asked us to kick up the grassroots
support. They are talking to Members of Congress and senior
staff who are reporting that they are getting flooded by the
other side's emails and phone calls. This has some key freshman
Members very nervous. Others are still on the fence.
>
>We have to fill up the phone lines - could we go back to the
email supporters ASAP?
>
>
>Allison
>
>Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
>
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Go to
http://www.hrc.org - the info is on the front page
Contact your rep now by email, phone, and fax, the religious right is pushing against this legislation and we need to let Washington know that we will not be silent any longer.
From NCTE email
Down to the wire on the Federal Hate Crimes Bill !!!
National Center for Transgender Equality [www.nctequality.org]
May 1, 2007
We are down to the wire on the federal hate crimes bill (H.R.1592).
This Thursday, May 3, the federal hate crime bill is scheduled to be
voted on in the U.S. House. We really have a chance to pass this
life-saving law this year.
But what we are hearing today is that the radical right has turned
their lie machine on force blast and turned out their followers.
Members of Congress and their staff are telling us that the people
who hate us, who are lying about us, are contacting Congress in
greater numbers than we are. That's not unusual, but it is very
dangerous. It is not unusual because that's what they do: they scare
their followers into calling their representatives in Congress. It
is very dangerous because it could work this time.
WE REALLY NEED YOU TO CALL YOUR MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
WE REALLY NEED YOU TO GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CALL.
WE REALLY NEED YOU TO RE-POST THIS TO WHATEVER LISTSERVS YOU ARE ON.
To find out who your Congressperson is and what their phone number
is, please go to our webpage.
More Background
The Traditional Values Coalition is calling this bill the
homosexual/Drag Queen bill. They claim that Congress has declared
April "Drag Queen Month." They have even created what they call a
comic in which they lie about us and our motives and even use a
picture of NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling speaking with
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin at a recent Congressional hearing
(although Mara claims their camera has added weight to her). View
their website here:
http://traditionalvalues.org/comics/042607/index.phpThey claim that this bill is meant to restrict free speech and
religious expression. This is not correct. NCTE has been part of
the drafting process of this bill for several years and I promise
you, great care was taken to insure that even hateful speech by
people like the Traditional Values Coalition is fully protected.
NCTE and all of our civil rights partners would not be supporting it
otherwise. We believe that radical right wing hate groups as well as
mainstream opponents have a right to say hateful things about us. The
law ONLY applies when a physically violent crime is commited.
Make no mistakes-something about which they are not lying-when a
person who performs as a drag queen is murdered for her gender
identity or sexual orientation, which happens with frightening
frequency, this bill would include the crime against her, just as it
would any other HUMAN BEING. That is how it should be.
Let's get this law passed. Please call your member of the U.S. House
of Representatives. Thanks.
What YOU Can Do
1. Call your member of Congress right now. To find your member of
Congress:
http://www.house.gov2. Sign our petition supporting the hate crimes bill:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nctequality/3. Support the passage of this bill by joining us for NCTE's annual
Lobby Day on May 14-15!
