Time For ‘Assault On Hate Crimes’ Clinton Orders Review Of Laws, Sets Fall Forum
Responding to soaring levels of bigotry-motivated violence, President Clinton Saturday ordered the Justice Department to review all U.S. laws on hate crimes.
The White House also will convene a conference this fall of law enforcement officials, members of Congress and hate-crime victims in order to explore ways of dealing with intolerance, from the burning of black churches to attacks on gays and Jews, Clinton announced in his weekly radio address.
The world’s most diverse democracy must strive to conquer divisions over race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation “so that we can move forward into the 21st century as one America,” he said.
“It is time for us to mount an all-out assault on hate crimes, to punish them swiftly and severely, and to do more to prevent them from happening in the first place,” he added.
“Such hate crimes committed solely because the victims have a different skin color or a different faith or are gays or lesbians, leave deep scars, not only on the victims but on their larger community,” Clinton said. He called hate crimes acts of violence “against America itself.”
Clinton’s action on the issue comes amid growing pressure from civil rights groups and recent data reflecting alarming trends in the 1990s.
The FBI reported almost 8,000 hate crimes in 1995, an increase of 42 percent since 1991, Clinton said.
The president’s moves are the first in what is expected to be a more aggressive administration campaign to confront racism.
Visiting California this week, Clinton is expected to give an important speech focusing on ways of bridging America’s racial and ethnic chasm.
Among the initiatives he is expected to announce Saturday in his commencement address to students at the University of California, San Diego is a presidential advisory board on race relations to launch a “national dialogue” in town hall meetings across the country.
“To truly move forward as one community, it is just not enough to prevent acts of violence to our bodies, we must prevent acts of violence to our spirits,” the president said in his radio address.
As the outside world moves toward a single global society and global economy, the United States will be stronger if it uses the full talents of all its people, Clinton said, adding, “Our rich diversity is a powerful strength if we respect it.”
The White House conference is scheduled for Nov. 10.
To prepare for the fall conference, Attorney General Janet Reno already has launched a review of all legislation on hate crimes as well as other legal options the administration has for addressing the troubling increase in such incidents.
xxxx HATE CRIMES INCREASE The FBI reported almost 8,000 hate crimes in 1995, an increase of 42 percent since 1991.