Hate crimes overture amended to be more inclusive
The Layman Online, June 29, 1999
FORT WORTH – Commissioners to the 211th General Assembly approved an amended version of Overture 99-64 from the Presbytery of Western Reserve on the “negative effects of stereotyping and hate crimes based on sexual orientation.”
The overture, which called on GA to “support federal legislation that provides enhanced penalties for violent crimes motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability of the victim,” had called for a nine person task force, including gay or lesbian members, to focus exclusively on violence against people based on sexual orientation.
It also asked the task force to make resources available that address violence against people and provide training for congregations and governing bodies to prevent violence against people, again, based only on sexual orientation.
The National and Social Issues committee recommended that the Assembly approve the overture, and refer it to the GAC “to be accomplished through its existing budget, and further that the GAC be instructed to include representatives of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered population in carrying out these directions.”
Once the recommendation was introduced on the plenary floor, Commissioner Russ Howard offered an amendment to end the sentence after the word “budget.” He also changed each reference of sexual orientation in the section dealing with the task force to include “victims of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender and disability.”
“It’s a beautiful overture with wonderful intent,” said Howard, adding that he would like to see the narrow focus of hate crimes on sexual orientation be broadened.
“My problem is not with intent, but its narrow focus,” he said.
The amendment passed 300-206. The amended motion passed 445-47.