Denver, May 27, 2005 ... Upon learning that Governor Bill Owens allowed HR 1014 to become Colorado law without his signature today, ADL's Mountain States Regional Director Bruce H. DeBoskey issued the following statement:

The Anti-Defamation League hails the extension of Colorado's Hate Crimes Law to cover sexual orientation and disability.  For too long, Colorado law has not viewed crimes against gays and lesbians and people with disabilities as hate crimes.  Colorado citizens in those communities now can take comfort in knowing that such crimes will receive the special treatment by law enforcement that they deserve.

Hate crimes are not like other crimes, because they have an impact far beyond the individual victim of the crime. When a victim is chosen because of his or her sexual orientation or disability, everyone who shares those characteristics feels threatened.  Those crimes resonate throughout the victim's community, and threaten the safety and wellbeing of every member of that group.

With this law, our government sends a different message to the victims – that everyone in Colorado, regardless of sexual orientation or disability, is safe and protected here.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.