FREE VOL. 31 • Issue. 03 • NO. 585 • dec. 1, 2009 LGBT News Since 1978 • LGBT “The Heartbreak Kid?” Blake Lewis COMMUNITY that underlie these acts.” insurance and enhanced dental and vision VERIZON HOPELINE DONATION On October 28, President Barack Obama benefits, retirement and disability benefits, AIDS SAC CENTER signed the Matthew Shepard and James family, medical, and emergency leave, group Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. life insurance, long-term care insurance, Verizon Wireless HopeLine Donation The new law gives the Justice Department compensation for work injuries, and benefits Helps Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center the power to investigate and prosecute bias- for disability, death, or captivity. Aid Victims of Domestic Violence Fund to motivated violence by providing the Justice All federal employees (except those in ESTABLISHED NOVEMBER 1978 provide more services to help LGBT youth Department with jurisdiction over crimes of the uniformed military services) and their violence where a perpetrator has selected domestic partners would b eligible for the 1123 21st Street, Ste. 201 and adults participating in Center services in Sacramento, CA 95811 Sacramento a victim because of the victim’s actual or benefits. V: 916.441.6397 The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center is perceived race, color, religion, national origin, The committee debate on the bill was long momguesswhat.com a non-profit organization serving Sacramento gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or and contentious. It lasted for over 5 hours. myspace.com/mgwnews area residents. An important Center program disability. In addition, it provides the Justice The opponents of the bill first claimed that serves those individuals who lives have been Department with the ability to aid state and the bill violated the Defense of Marriage Act PUBLISHED BY touched by the national epidemic of domestic local jurisdictions with investigations and and went against the will of the American Faces, Inc violence. prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes of people, expressed in the many times they The Center recently received a Verizon violence. voted against same sex marriage. The PUBLISHER Hopeline grant to expand its domestic The new law also authorizes the Justice supporters responded by saying the bill said Terry Sidie violence prevention efforts. The Verizon Department to provide grants to state and absolutely nothing about marriage. Wireless Hopeline program supports local communities to cover the extraordinary The opponents complained the bill EDITORIAL DIRECTOR domestic violence prevention and awareness expenses associated with the investigation would be too expensive. But then one of Matthew Burlingame programs in Sacramento and nationwide. and prosecution of hate crimes. Moreover, them proposed to amend the bill to allow a [email protected] The Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center it authorizes the provision of grants for local federal employee to name anyone to receive is an organization whose primary mission is programs to combat hate crimes committed his employee benefits, not just a domestic ADVERTISING to serve the needs of the LGBT community by juveniles, including programs that train partner. That would have greatly increased Nathan Feldman and its allies. It also seeks to bring all people local law enforcement officers in identifying, the cost of the bill. That amendment failed. investigating, prosecuting and preventing The opponents also tried to amend the 916-441-6397 together through educational programs that [email protected] help end violence, hate crimes, and prejudice hate crimes. bill to say that it did not amend the Defense The data comes just days after the LGBT of Marriage Act in any way. Again the bills while promoting greater tolerance and NATIONAL ADVERTISING understanding for various points of view and community mourned on Transgender Day of supporters noted that the bill did not mention Remembrance — honoring the memories of marriage at all, and this amendment would Rivendell Media lifestyles. 212.242.6863 “This generous donation from Verizon those lost in hate crimes motivated by gender bring that concept into the bill for the first Wireless will help us continue to provide identity bias. While current data does not time. That amendment failed as well. WRITERS critical services and programs to those track crimes on based on gender or gender The opponents introduced amendment Lance Williams, Robert Applegate affected by domestic violence issues in identity, the new hate crimes law requires the after amendment trying to either amend the Sonya Cox, Donald Marshall our community,” said William Otton, interim FBI to track statistics on these incidents. bill in a way that would destroy its chances of M.R. Covino, Boyce Hinman, Brian Judd, Executive Director at the Center. “Funds The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, passage, or at least to delay the final vote on Michael Gorman, David R. Shorey will be used to specifically provide a place Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act honors the the bill. But, curiously, one of the opponents Tom Swanner, Jerry Sloan, Jenny B. to go for emergency help services and also memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming seemed to complain at how long it was taking Forrest Schroeder-Einwiller help Center program facilitators continue our college student brutally murdered in an act to deal with the bill. Happily the bill was Rev. Doretha Williams-Flournoy of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, finally approved and sent to the full House of Michael A. Cook, Matthew Burlingame violence prevention and education efforts Owen Edwards, Manuel Lomba throughout the community.” saccenter.org an African-American man who was dragged Representatives. Jeniffer Wertz, Sally Sheklow to death in Jasper, Texas, in 1998. For a You may see a copy of the bill, and related comprehensive retrospective and historical documents by directing your browser to the PHOTOGRAPHERS 11 PERCENT IncREASE IN GAY overview of hate crimes advocacy visit: www. following address. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi- West Ramsey, Owen Edwards HATE CRIMES IN 2008 LoveConquersHate.org. bin/query/z?c111:H.R.2517: Nathan Feldman, Jeniffer Wertz The Human Rights Campaign is Jay Lensch, Robert Applegate Report shows rise in lesbian and gay hate America’s largest civil rights organization crimes for third year in a row. working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual SACRAMENTO TO OBSERVE ASSOCIATIONS and transgender equality. By inspiring and Nat. Gay & Lesbian Journalist Assoc. The Human Rights Campaign, the WORLD AIDS DAY Society of Professional Journalists nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end Midtown Business Association discrimination against LGBT citizens and Take a public stand against HIV/AIDS. On G&L Police Advisory Committee transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce responded today to the Federal Bureau realize a nation that achieves fundamental Dec. 1, CARES, along with other community fairness and equality for all. groups, are giving you the chance to Mom Guess What Newspaper (MGW) is published of Investigation report which showed the twice monthly by FACES, Inc. Copyright by FACES, number of victims of bias-motivated crimes participate in a global event remembering Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of MGW, includ- based on sexual orientation increased by those we’ve lost to this disease, and rallying ing editorial features, advertising or artwork may be CONGRESS COMMITTEE APPROVES reproduced in whole or part without written permis- 11 percent in 2008. The statistics show that around the future of HIV/AIDS research and sion of the Executive Publisher. MGW can assume reported hate crimes against the LGBT DOMESTIC PARTNERS LAW prevention. Sacramento’s World AIDS Day no liability for errors, whether made by the original news source or by MGW in summarizing or editing community have increased for the third event starts at 6 p.m. at the Tower Theatre. the story, beyond the printing of a correction or re- year in a row. Hate crimes based on sexual By BOyce HINMAN Event highlights: The 2009 theme, “Past/ traction. Opinions expressed in bylined articles and CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES UNITED INSTITUTE Present/Future,” will remember individuals letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily orientation remain the third most common represent the opinions of MGW. Publication of name, type of hate crimes, behind race and religion. lost to the disease, discuss the present photograph or likeness of any person or organiza- Today, the House Oversight and epidemic, and focus on ending new HIV tion in articles or advertising is not to be construed “These numbers are unacceptable. as any indication of sexual orientation. Any similar- While it is so important that we have the Government Reform Committee, of the infections in the greater Sacramento area. ity between individuals named or described in works new federal hate crimes law, it is critical to US House of Representatives, approved Hear speeches from Sister Mary Redempta, of fiction or semi-fiction and actual persons, living or a bill (HR 2517) that would provide the dead, is purely coincidental. Readers are advised that ensure that we continue working with the Dr. Donna DeFreitas and HIV+ community MGW assumes no responsibility for claims made by Department of Justice to ensure the safety domestic partners of federal employees the member Miguel Diaz. See panels from the the advertiser. MGW reserves the right to reject any same employee benefits as are provided advertising for any reason. All editorial submissions, of LGBT citizens,” said Human Rights National AIDS Memorial Quilt, the largest drawings and photographs may be submitted to the Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We to the spouses of federal employees. The community art project in the world. The editorial offices located at 1123 21st St., Ste. 201, bill now goes to the floor of the House of panels contain names of people from the Sacramento, California 95811. MGW is not respon- have to prosecute each hate crime to the sible for unsolicited material.