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Thank You for Working to Pass the Matthew Shepard Act

Target: Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard Foundation, Human Rights Campaign
Sponsored by: Care2.com

On Wednesday, October 28, as part of the 2010 defense authorization bill, President Obama made law the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This law classifies crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity as hate crimes and allows the Justice Department to assist in their prosecution.

It's taken Congress 12 years to pass this legislation, and it wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of activists across the country and across the globe.

However, special mention should go to Judy Shepard, the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Human Rights Campaign (HRC). All three have been tireless in their advocacy, and we'd like to thank them for all the sweat and tears it's taken to get to this point.

Sign below to pass along your gratitude to Ms. Shepard, the Foundation and HRC for their hard work to protect LGBT people against hate crimes.

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 5,000

2,694
signatures!

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Dear Ms. Shepard, Matthew Shepard Foundation, and Human Rights Campaign,

I want to thank you for the hard work and tireless advocacy on behalf of the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Hate crimes are intended to create fear and intimidate entire communities, and this law will go a long way to protecting communities from this menace.

[Your comments]

Thank you again for your efforts.

We signed the “Thank You for Working to Pass the Matthew Shepard Act” petition!

# 2,694:

3:57 pm PST, Nov 20, Jerie Johnson, Pennsylvania

# 2,693:

2:03 pm PST, Nov 20, Anne Seidel, Germany

# 2,692:

11:56 am PST, Nov 20, Susana Lax, Florida
Thank you so much for passing The Matthew Shepard Act! Hate crimes should never be tolerated and should be punished to the full degree of the law. As a gay woman, I know the fear when a homosexual is killed. It is intended to strike fear into my community, and it does just that.

# 2,691:

7:31 am PST, Nov 20, Stephen Weatherby, Georgia

# 2,690:

7:26 pm PST, Nov 19, Brande Pickerel, Washington

# 2,689:

3:54 pm PST, Nov 19, Vanessa Edwards, Virginia

# 2,688:

8:24 pm PST, Nov 18, Gweneth Baldwin, Texas
I can't tell you how much I respect & admire & am amazed by the courage & strength it took to fight this battle in the face of such unimaginable grief. God Bless you , Ms Shepard 7 May He continue to strengthen & comfort you! This issue is 1 which I have ,for at least 30 yrs. been active in & given voice to because I lost a very dear young friend to a hate crime because of his sexual preferences. But in those days, no one had ever heard the term "Hate Crime" or 'Depraved Indifference", so mostly my voice fell on deaf ears or the ears of those haters who thought my friend got what he deserved just for being himself. Sincerely, Gweneth Baldwin***Wichita Falls, TX

# 2,687:

5:00 pm PST, Nov 18, Julie Van Valkenburg, Tennessee
I performed in a production of "The Laramie Project," a play which examined the aftermath of the crime against Matthew. His story became very personal for me. My heart goes out to his mother, and I salute her for what she has achieved for all young men and women who won't have to face the fate that Matthew did.,

# 2,686:

3:12 pm PST, Nov 18, Elizabeth Cook, Arizona

# 2,685:

1:04 pm PST, Nov 18, Brian JP Craig, New Jersey

# 2,684:

8:19 am PST, Nov 18, FRANK WHITMAN, Indiana
thank you,for all people to all people,for all to yet come.

# 2,683:

8:08 am PST, Nov 18, Wendy Beasley, Canada

# 2,682:

6:36 pm PST, Nov 17, Kristin Sobditch, California

# 2,681:

5:40 pm PST, Nov 17, Jacqueline Hebrank, New York

# 2,680:

4:26 pm PST, Nov 17, Ellie Shain, California
Excellent job! A big step in the right direction. Good work.

# 2,679:

4:19 pm PST, Nov 17, Sara Neveu, New Hampshire

# 2,678:

12:22 pm PST, Nov 17, KT Snyder, Maine

# 2,677:

9:44 pm PST, Nov 16, Brittany Adams, California

# 2,676:

4:05 pm PST, Nov 16, Theresia Cronan, California

# 2,675:

9:33 am PST, Nov 16, Darlene Lardiere-Grison, Florida

# 2,674:

8:05 am PST, Nov 16, Name not displayed, New Jersey

# 2,673:

9:22 pm PST, Nov 15, Kelsey Miner, Illinois

# 2,672:

7:05 pm PST, Nov 15, Ella Dragif, Florida
Thank you for everything

# 2,671:

7:00 pm PST, Nov 15, Amethyst Virtue, New York

# 2,670:

6:35 pm PST, Nov 15, Linda Kennedy, Alabama

# 2,669:

1:40 pm PST, Nov 15, Rosemary Prem, California

# 2,668:

12:17 pm PST, Nov 15, Sandy Valencour, Washington
My heart goes out to you. Matthew will never be forgotten now. I so wish it had been passed before Matthews death. Only the love of a mother would have fought so valiently.

# 2,667:

12:02 pm PST, Nov 15, Jake Pipp, Wisconsin

# 2,666:

9:29 am PST, Nov 15, Bonnie Cline, Pennsylvania

# 2,665:

8:15 pm PST, Nov 14, Mandy Munoz, California

# 2,664:

3:52 pm PST, Nov 14, Amanda Lugo, Virginia

# 2,663:

3:21 pm PST, Nov 14, Amanda Curry, Texas

# 2,662:

7:45 am PST, Nov 14, Kate Bason, Iowa

# 2,661:

9:50 pm PST, Nov 13, Shari Maier, Oregon

# 2,660:

6:17 am PST, Nov 13, Michele Wilkie, Texas

# 2,659:

3:56 am PST, Nov 13, Allyson Sites, Indiana
Your dedication is unequalled and greatly appreciated.

# 2,658:

3:33 am PST, Nov 13, Elizabeth English, Florida
Excellent job! A big step in the right direction. Good work.

# 2,657:

8:49 pm PST, Nov 12, Lynn Fischer, Florida

# 2,656:

8:09 pm PST, Nov 12, Paul Damian, Illinois

# 2,655:

6:50 pm PST, Nov 12, Greg Sells, Texas

# 2,654:

5:19 pm PST, Nov 12, Gloria Watson, Missouri

# 2,653:

3:17 pm PST, Nov 12, Barbara Grudzien, Tennessee

# 2,652:

2:40 pm PST, Nov 12, Craig Wait, Arizona

# 2,651:

1:17 pm PST, Nov 12, Jennifer Spires, Ohio

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