New York, NY, October 14, 1998…Mourning the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, Howard P. Berkowitz, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) National Chairman, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, today called for every state to enact hate crimes laws. The two leaders issued the following statement:

Once again, our nation is mourning a tragedy spawned by bigotry and hate. Once again, we feel the pain of an innocent victim, murdered because of an irrational prejudice which tears at the fabric of our society.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Matthew Shepard’s family and friends at this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the Laramie community, with gay and lesbian communities across this country, and with the community of Americans of all races, religions, ethnicities and sexual orientations who feel revulsion and profound sorrow at Matthew’s cruel death.

We all wish we could turn the clock back, and bring Matthew back to life. Since we cannot, the least we can do is commit ourselves, locally and nationally, to bringing new energy and passion to the fight against the cancer of hate which took his life. It is not a cancer of the body, but rather a cancer in our society. And none of us can sit on the sidelines thinking "I’m glad it’s not me." The cancer of hate afflicts us all, and we have to fight it together.

ADL has been a pioneer in drafting and promoting hate crimes laws across the country since 1981. Forty states have now enacted statutes based on or similar to ADL’s model legislation. The United States Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of ADL’s penalty enhancement approach in 1993. The League has also spearheaded efforts in Congress to secure passage of Federal hate crimes statutes, including the currently pending Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Related Link(s):   Hate Crimes Prevention Act   ADL's model legislation

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.