Shepard, whose son was murdered in 1998 because he was gay, has endured this grueling schedule nearly every night for the past year to educate and inform audiences about the devastating effects of hate and discrimination. And I figure, out of every audience I speak to, one person in there is going to take that seed and give it to somebody else and someone s mind is going to change. Of those incidents, five were reported in Riverside County. The occurrences varied from spray painting swastikas and hate language to targeted beatings because of an individuals race, sexual orientation or religion. Victims of hate crimes may also be singled out because of their nationality, political views, gender, illness or disability.
Hate crimes take such forms as assault, vandalism, harassment and murder.
Everyone should inform themselves to combat intolerance and prejudice, Shepard said. One of the best things to do is go to a minority resource center and ask them. Get the information first hand. According to a hate crimes booklet provided by Scriptographic Products, learning about hate crimes is important in recognizing the severity of the problem and discouraging hate behavior. First, students need to be aware that the university will handle hate crimes appropriately.