Found in my inbox, and perhaps yours, too:
Dear friend,
Every morning, someone you know takes the long way to class. Someone you care about looks over his shoulder on the street. Someone you love fears for her safety.
All because some people hate them for being who they were born to be — gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
I still remember standing on the steps of the Capitol on October 14th, 1998 - thousands gathered on a cool autumn evening - to remember Matthew Shepard two days after he had been killed in Laramie, Wyoming.
That night I said that "Matthew Shepard is not the exception to the rule - his tragic death is the extreme example of what happens on a daily basis in our schools, on our streets, and in our communities. And that's why we have an obligation to pass laws that make clear our determination to root out this hatred. We hear a lot from Congress today about how we are a country of laws, not men. Let them make good on those words, and pass hate crimes legislation."
Almost ten years have passed since that candlelight vigil - ten years too long for Washington to do what was so obviously needed.
Today we're closer than ever to passing a federal hate crimes law that includes sexual orientation and gender identity - the Matthew Shepard Act. I've supported this effort from the start because it's the right thing to do.
But we're not there yet. We haven't yet, as we committed to do that night, insured that "the lesson of Matthew Shepard is not forgotten." Right now, my colleagues in the Senate are being barraged with calls and emails from anti-gay groups*. It's horrifying that the right wing would pick this of all issues to be against - but it's happening.
Urge your Senators to vote YES on the Matthew Shepard Act.
Think about this: Some members of the House reported receiving five times as many messages opposing this bill as supporting it. Those of us who support the bill need to work to make sure that that in the Senate it's our voices that speak the loudest.
Fight hate crimes-send a message to your senators today.
Senators are feeling the heat. You can be the voice of the 68% of Americans that support this bill. Tell your Senators that you stand up for freedom from fear for all Americans, and you hope they do, too.
Take action today!
Let's turn the tide, let's reaffirm our faith that the strength of human justice can overcome the hatred in our society by confronting it. Let's make those words true — starting right now. Thank you!
Sincerely,
John Kerry
*I was having kind of a bad day at work today, and I don't want to say this email improved it. I mean, it's a pretty heartless person who doesn't feel some degree of sadness while reading an email about Matthew Shepard. But I did feel oddly privileged that I've never heard of any anti-gay groups.
I know gay rights don't come up a lot at wljk, since it's pretty much a bunch of heterosexual women waxing VERY heterosexual over our favorite male senator. But since the issue came up, I want to say two things:
1. I couldn't be more pleased to have received this email, and to read that JK is teaming up with the Human Rights Campaign on this legislation
and
2. Girly-girl though I may be, I can't think of any better argument for a love blog than to occasionally be reminded of the alternative.
