umxrmnews
January lfl. 2Ü01
passed the act for a decade now,
but it has died each year because
the Republican-controlled Sen
ate has taken no action. Given
the Assembly’s long-standing
support for the act and Pataki’s
call for passage, all the Senate
needs to do is take up the mea
sure this year, and it would
become law.
“We believe in equal rights
and equal protections for all
people,” Bruno said at a press
conference after Pataki’s speech.
“We’re open [to the act]. It’s on
our agenda.”
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M IS S IS S IP P I
A
hate crimes amendment is
among more than 1,000
bills that have been presented
by Mississippi lawmakers for the
2002 session, which began
Jan. 8.
Last year Democratic state
Rep. Erik R. Fleming intro Democratic state Rep. Erik R . Fleming has reintroduced
duced legislation to add protec hate crimes legislation in Mississippi
tion for people attacked be
cause o f their sexual orientation or age. It decade, Congress blocked the district from using
died in committee, but the issue o f people tar any local or federal funds to implement the law.
The fiscal year 2002 District of Columbia
geted because of their age was introduced in a
appropriations bill lifted this prohibition. The
separate hill, which passed.
district now joins 130 other state and local gov
Fleming has introduced House Bill 171,
ernments nationwide offering domestic partner
which mirrors 2001’s House Bill 162 in context.
benefits for their public employees.
•
If passed, it would add sexual orientation and
age to the Mississippi hate crimes law in July.
5
“The Judiciary B Committee didn’t even dis
ridgestone/Firestone Inc., which an
cuss the bill in 2001 when it was presented,” says
nounced Nov. 18 an expansion of its diver
Jody Renaldo, Equality Mississippi executive
sity
marketing efforts to include the sexual
director. “Hopefully this time they will remem
minorities community, is now under attack by
ber our previous conversations and our current
the American Family Association.
ongoing conversations and give this bill the due
The anti-gay organization issued an action
attention it deserves.”
alert Dec. 13, blasting the tire maker for appeal
Equality Mississippi was founded in March
ing to “homosexual lovers, cross-dressers and
2000 because of a hate crime. A close friend of
gender-confused customers." President Don
Renaldo’s was kidnapped, beaten and strangled
Wildmon said, “Bridgestone is selectively
to death and his body was dumped in the woods
recruiting customers based solely on bedroom
simply because he was gay.
behavior— men who have sex with men,
“Anyone that says that sexual orientation
should not be added to the current state hate
crime law is fooling themselves,” Renaldo says.
“While I agree that in a perfect world, murder is
murder and the same ‘eye for an eye’ sentence
should be extended to all murderers, that isn’t
always the case.”
According to Renaldo, hate crimes laws
across the country are a significant deterrent. If
people know they could face a double sentence,
they tend to contemplate whether to carry out
such a crime, he believes.
women who have sex with women, and those
“Regardless of a person’s sexual orientation,
color, religion, nationality, we all pay taxes and
who aren’t sure what sex they are.”
Bridgestone/Firestone has entered into a
we all vote,” Renaldo says. “Our organization’s
6,000-plus members all over the state are defi sponsorship agreement with Gay.com and
PlanetOut.com. Its marketing efforts also will
nitely keeping an eye on this bill and will
include targeted advertising with Triangle
remember its outcome when it’s time to vote for
Television Network, Out, Genre, Curve and
new lawmakers."
the Advocate.
“We are proud to be the first tire company
N A T IO N A L
with a national marketing effort directed
Y ) resident Bush signed a measure Dec. 21
I allowing the District of Columbia govern toward this important segment of the U .S. pop
ment to fund a program giving domestic part ulation,” said Michael Fluck, the company’s
Internet and diversity marketing manager. The
ners of city employees access to health benefits
move is part of a broader effort including the
purchased at their own expense. The Human
launch of a Spanish-language version of
Rights Campaign praised his decision.
TtreSafety.com, an Internet site designed to
“The president’s signature culminates a
improve highway safety.
huge victory that has resulted from nearly a
The Human Rights Campaign is urging peo
decade of hard work on this issue," political
ple to thank Bridgestone/Firestone for its for
director Winnie Stachelberg said. “We applaud
ward-thinking initiatives. E-mail should be sent
our allies in Congress for passing this historic
to diversity@bfusa.com. |F1
legislation and President Bush for signing it
into law.”
Compiled by News Editor J im R adosta , who can
The D C . Health Care Benefits Expansion
be reached at jhv@justout .com.
Act was approved in 1992. But for nearly a
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