We are outraged and saddened by the brutal murder of Danny Lee Overstreet, a member of the Communications Workers of America, who was killed while sitting in a Roanoke, Virginia, bar by an assailant intent on shooting gays and lesbians. Danny Lee Overstreet's death was not an isolated incident. The report documented 2,552 anti-gay incidents in only 16 cities and jurisdictions across the country in 1998. Crimes such as these cry out for strong action by our national leaders.
Hate crimes divide communities and engender a climate of fear and mistrust.
We call on the Congress to strengthen the federal hate crimes statute by passing the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act as part of the Department of Defense Authorization Act. This law would strengthen current laws and add coverage for individuals attacked because of sexual orientation, gender, or disability. By passing the legislation currently before Congress, our elected leaders could send a powerful message that our society simply will not tolerate these horrific hate crimes. On behalf of the working men and women of the AFL-CIO, we also extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Danny Lee Overstreet.