"No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love," said US President Obama today as he signed the Hate Crimes Bill into law. Also known as the 'Matthew Shepard Bill' after a young gay man who was tortured and murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming back in 1998, its passage will mean additional law enforcement resources will be set aside for crimes against minorities including sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation is designed to "help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are," Obama explained. On the clip below: President Obama remembers Matthew Shepard as he remarks on the passage of the Hate Crimes Bill.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Thursday, 29th October 2009 - 3:17pm