U.S. Senator Lincoln D. Chafee today re-emphasized his support for legislation to expand federal legislation against hate crimes. Today, Chafee issued the following statement. Last week, the Senate approved an amendment to expand federal efforts to prevent hate crimes.
Hate crimes are attacks on our very culture.
The image of the United States as a melting pot, in which diversity flourishes, is shattered by hate-related violence. I cosponsored the Hate Crimes Prevention Act because it was the right thing to do. The issue here is civil rights, and as a nation we went a long way in the last century toward assuring that the civil rights of ALL Americans were not infringed upon. I hope we can start this new century with another step in the right direction. I m gratified by the broad support that this hate crimes legislation received in the Senate last week.