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Hate Crimes - Signing Ceremony 4/23/90 [OA 4425]
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Hate Crimes - Signing Ceremony 4/23/90 [OA 4425]
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mary Kate Grant Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
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MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
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Grant, Mary Kate, Files
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Subject File, 1988-1991
OA/ID Number:
13881
Folder ID Number:
13881-003
Folder Title:
Hate Crimes-Signing Ceremony, 4/23/90
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19
2
7
6
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 23, 1990
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
DURING SIGNING CEREMONY
FOR HATE CRIMES STATISTICS LEGISLATION
Room 450
Old Executive Office Building
3:02 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, let me give a special
welcome to the members of Congress -- Congress in session, taking the
time to come down here -- several here who were so instrumental in
the passage of this bill. Senator Simon, Orrin Hatch -- Senator
Hatch. Senator Metzenbaum, Congressman Conyers, Congressman
Sangmeister, Jack Brooks -- Chairman Brooks, I should say
respectfully, to a fellow Texan. (Laughter.) And to Barbara --
Barbara Kennelly. And members of the civil rights community,
religious leaders and friends, welcome here.
We join together to celebrate a significant step to help
guarantee civil rights for every American -- the passage, and now the
signing, of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act.
When I first heard that this bill had passed both houses
of Congress, I thought of a photograph in the news recently. And
it's of the plaza near a Montgomery, Alabama church where Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. preached during the '55 bus boycott. And in that
plaza stands a new civil rights memorial inscribed with the names of
40 brave Americans who died in the civil rights struggle, each one
the victim of a hate crime.
On the memorial's wall, water cascades over the VOW made
by Dr. King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial: "We will not be
satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like
a mighty stream.'
His pledge is just as powerful today. We will not be
satisfied. Justice for all has been the historic mission of the
civil rights movement, and it's a mission still to be fulfilled.
Bigotry and hate regrettably still exist in this country. And hate
breeds violence, threatening the security of our entire society. We
must rid our communities of the poison we call prejudice, bias and
discrimination.
That's why I'm signing into law today a measure to
require the Attorney General to collect as much information as we can
on crimes motivated by religion, race, ethnicity or sexual
orientation -- the Hate Crimes Statistics Act.
One of the greatest obligations of this administration
and of the Department of Justice is the guarantee of civil rights for
all Americans. As I said in my State of the Union address, every one
of us must confront and condemn racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry and
hate not next week, not tomorrow, but right now -- every single one
of us. For hate crimes cannot be tolerated in a free society.
We have vigorously prosecuted federal violations
involving hate crimes. We will continue to do so.
As we speak, 17 racist skinheads in Dallas are waiting to be
sentenced by a federal court for conspiring to commit hate crimes
against Jewish, black and Hispanic citizens. The mail bombings which
MORE
- 2 -
killed a federal judge and a NAACP lawyer, are being investigated
tenaciously by federal authorities. We will not rest until the
cowards who committed these senseless crimes are behind bars.
The Hate Crimes Statistics Act is an important further
step toward the protection of all Americans' civil rights. Our
administration will work with Congress to determine whether new law
enforcement measures are needed to bring hate mongers out of hiding
and into the light of justice. And at the same time, by collecting
and publicizing this information, we can shore up our first line of
defense against the erosion of civil rights by alerting the cops on
the beat.
I'm also pleased to announce today that the Department of
Justice has established a new toll-free phone number for reporting
complaints of these hate crimes. Those incidents that can and should
be prosecuted will be reported directly to the appropriate federal,
state or local agency for action. The faster we can find out about
these hideous crimes, the faster we can track down the bigots who
commit them.
We must work together to build an America of opportunity,
where every American is free finally from discrimination. And I will
use this noble office -- this bully pulpit, if you will -- to speak
out against hate and discrimination everywhere it exists.
Enacting this law today helps move us toward our dream --
a society blind to prejudice, a society open to all. Until we reach
that day when the bigotry and hate of mail bombings and the
vandalisms of the Yeshiva school and the Catholic churches we've seen
recently, and so many other sad, sad incidents are no more -- until
that day, we must remember: for America to continue to be a good
place for any of us to live, it must be a good place for all of us to
live.
So you wouldn't be here if you weren't extraordinarily
interested in the work of the United States Congress. So I want to
thank each and everyone of you for coming. And now I'm pleased to
sign the Hate Crimes Statistics Act into the law. (Applause.)
END
3:08 P.M. EDT
HATE CRIMES BILL SIGNING CEREMONY / ROOM 450
MONDAY, APRIL 23, 1990 / 3:00 P.M.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL WELCOME TO
THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO WERE so INSTRUMENTAL IN THE
PASSAGE OF THIS BILL: SENATORS PAUL SIMON, ORRIN HATCH,
AND HOWARD METZENBAUM; AND CONGRESSMEN JOHN CONYERS,
JACK BROOKS, JOHN BRYANT, GEORGE SANGMEISTER, BARBARA
KENNELLY, AND CHARLES SCHUMER. MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS COMMUNITY, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND FRIENDS.
- 2 -
WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE. WE JOIN TOGETHER TODAY
TO CELEBRATE A SIGNIFICANT STEP TO HELP GUARANTEE THE
CIVIL RIGHTS OF EVERY AMERICAN: THE PASSAGE -- AND NOW
THE SIGNING -- OF THE HATE CRIMES STATISTICS AcT.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT THIS BILL HAD PASSED BOTH
HOUSES OF CONGRESS, I THOUGHT OF A PHOTOGRAPH IN THE
NEWS RECENTLY. IT IS OF THE PLAZA NEAR THE MONTGOMERY,
ALABAMA CHURCH WHERE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,
PREACHED DURING THE 1955 BUS BOYCOTT.
- 3 -
IN THE PLAZA STANDS A NEW CIVIL RIGHTS MEMORIAL,
INSCRIBED WITH THE NAMES OF 40 BRAVE AMERICANS WHO DIED
IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE -- EACH ONE THE VICTIM OF
A HATE CRIME. ON THE MEMORIAL'S WALL, WATER CASCADES
OVER THE VOW MADE BY DR. KING ON THE STEPS OF THE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL: "... WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL
JUSTICE ROLLS DOWN LIKE WATERS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE A
MIGHTY STREAM." DR. KING'S PLEDGE IS JUST AS POWERFUL
TODAY -- WE TOO WILL NOT BE SATISFIED. 11
- 4 -
JUSTICE FOR ALL HAS BEEN THE HISTORIC MISSION OF
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. AND IT IS A MISSION STILL
TO BE FULFILLED. 11 BIGOTRY AND HATE STILL EXIST IN
THIS COUNTRY, AND HATE BREEDS VIOLENCE, THREATENING THE
SECURITY OF OUR ENTIRE SOCIETY. WE MUST RID OUR
COMMUNITIES OF THE POISON WE CALL PREJUDICE, BIAS, AND
DISCRIMINATION.
- 5 -
THAT IS WHY I AM SIGNING INTO LAW TODAY A MEASURE TO
REQUIRE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO COLLECT AS MUCH
INFORMATION AS WE CAN ON CRIMES MOTIVATED BY RELIGION,
RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION - -- THE HATE
CRIMES STATISTICS AcT.
ONE OF THE GREATEST OBLIGATIONS OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION AND OUR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS THE
GUARANTEE OF CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALL AMERICANS.
- 6 -
As I SAID IN MY STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, "EVERY ONE
OF US MUST CONFRONT AND CONDEMN RACISM, ANTISEMITISM,
BIGOTRY AND HATE, NOT NEXT WEEK, NOT TOMORROW, BUT
RIGHT NOW -- EVERY SINGLE ONE OF us." FOR HATE CRIMES
CANNOT BE TOLERATED IN A FREE SOCIETY.
WE HAVE VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTED FEDERAL VIOLATIONS
INVOLVING HATE CRIMES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
- 7 -
As WE SPEAK, SEVENTEEN RACIST SKINHEADS IN DALLAS ARE
WAITING TO BE SENTENCED BY A FEDERAL COURT FOR
CONSPIRING TO COMMIT HATE CRIMES AGAINST JEWISH, BLACK
AND HISPANIC CITIZENS. THE MAIL BOMBINGS WHICH KILLED
A FEDERAL JUDGE AND AN NAACP LAWYER ARE BEING
INVESTIGATED TENACIOUSLY BY FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. WE
WILL NOT REST UNTIL THE COWARDS WHO COMMITTED THESE
SENSELESS CRIMES ARE BEHIND BARS. 11
- 8 -
THE HATE CRIMES STATISTICS AcT IS AN IMPORTANT
FURTHER STEP TOWARD THE PROTECTION OF ALL AMERICANS'
CIVIL RIGHTS. OUR ADMINISTRATION WILL WORK WITH
CONGRESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT
MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO BRING HATE-MONGERS OUT OF HIDING
AND INTO THE LIGHT OF JUSTICE. AND, AT THE SAME TIME,
BY COLLECTING AND PUBLICIZING THIS INFORMATION, WE CAN
SHORE UP OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE EROSION
OF CIVIL RIGHTS -- BY ALERTING THE COPS ON THE BEAT.
- 9 -
I'M ALSO PLEASED To ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS ESTABLISHED A NEW TOLL-FREE
PHONE NUMBER FOR REPORTING COMPLAINTS OF HATE CRIMES.
THOSE INCIDENTS THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE PROSECUTED WILL
BE REPORTED DIRECTLY To THE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL, STATE,
OR LOCAL AGENCY FOR ACTION. THE FASTER WE CAN FIND OUT
ABOUT THESE HIDEOUS CRIMES, THE FASTER WE CAN TRACK
DOWN THE BIGOTS WHO COMMIT THEM.
- 10 -
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD AN AMERICA OF
OPPORTUNITY, WHERE EVERY AMERICAN IS FREE FROM
DISCRIMINATION. AND I WILL USE THIS NOBLE OFFICE --
THIS BULLY PULPIT -- TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST HATE AND
DISCRIMINATION EVERYWHERE IT EXISTS.
ENACTING THIS LAW TODAY HELPS MOVE US TOWARD OUR
DREAM -- A SOCIETY BLIND To PREJUDICE, A SOCIETY OPEN
TO ALL.
- 11 -
UNTIL WE REACH THAT DAY, WHEN THE BIGOTRY AND HATE OF
MAIL BOMBINGS, THE VANDALISM OF THE YESHIVA SCHOOL AND
THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY, AND so MANY
OTHER SAD, SAD INCIDENTS ARE NO MORE -- UNTIL THAT DAY,
WE MUST REMEMBER: AMERICA WILL NOT BE A GOOD PLACE FOR
ANY OF US TO LIVE UNLESS IT IS A GOOD PLACE FOR ALL OF
US TO LIVE. III
- 12 -
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. ((AND NOW, I AM
PLEASED TO SIGN THE HATE CRIMES STATISTICS AcT INTO
LAW.))
###
Bush Signs Act Requiring Records on Hate Crimes
Law Called Fruit of Unprecedented Collaboration' of Civil Rights, Religious, Gay Groups
President Bush, hailing a "significant step
trends but also develop enforcement pro-
federal civil rights law" and the first time
to help guarantee civil rights for every
grams and assign priorities.
in the memory of organized gay and lesbian,
American," yesterday signed the Hate
The American Civil Liberties Union
activists that representatives of their
Crimes Statistics Act, which requires
called the legislation the "fruit of an unprec-
groups had been invited to a White House
the federal government to collect and
edented collaboration" among law enforce-
ceremony.
publish statistics on crimes motivated by
ment, civil rights, civil liberties, religious
"The president strongly supported this
hate.
and gay and lesbian organizations.
WASH POST 4/24/90
bill and we appreciate his support," McFee-
Under the legislation, the Justice Depart-
Gay and lesbian groups in particular were
vocal in their praise of the measure and
ley said.
ment, beginning this year, will collect sta-
of Bush for inviting a dozen or more gay
Robert Bray of the National Gay and Les-
tistics on crimes motivated by prejudice
and lesbian activists to the White House
bian Task Force said, "We were stunned.
based on race relations, ethnicity or sexual
for the signing ceremony. Tim McFeeley,
No president has ever invited a group of
orientation.
executive director of the Human Rights
gay and lesbian activists to the White
The data, long sought by civil rights
Campaign Fund, a national lesbian and gay
House. We think the president sent a very
groups, will be made available to federal,
political organization, said the legislation
clear message to bigots and bashers that he
state and local governments so that law en-
marked "the first time in history that
will not tolerate violence" against gays and
forcement officials can not only measure
'sexual orientation' will be included in a
lesbians.
BY RICH LIPSKI-THE WASHINGTON POST
After signing act, Bush congratulates Rep. Jack Brooks as Sen. Howard Metzenbaum watches.
Photocopy-Preservation
President Signs a Law
Agreement Against Protests
To Study Hate Crimes
The expectation of such praise and
the public relations benefit that could
come from it were part of the Adminis-
Appearing before liberal Demo-
tration's calculation when it decided to
A
crats, conservative Republicans and
hold a public ceremony for the signing
the first homosexual rights advocates
of the bill, officials said.
It was the first time a President has
invited to a White House ceremony,
signed legislation that includes sexual
President Bush signed a law ordering
orientation with more traditional
a (study of crimes motivated by ra-
:
groups like racial and religious minori-
cial, ethnic or sexual prejudice.
ties. It was also the first time that sup-
He drew unusual praise from gay
porters of gay and lesbian rights had
and lesbian organizations, the Amer-
been invited to a White House event:
ican Civil Liberties Union, the Na-
Administration officials and repre-
tional Association for the Advance-
sentatives of the homosexual organiza-
ment of Colored People and other
tions who took part said the White
groups that have criticized him.
House had invited the advocates to the
ceremony only after eliciting an agree-
Article, page B6.
ment that they would not turn it into a
protest against Mr. Bush's policy on
Federal financing for AIDS research
and treatment.
NY TIMES 4/24/90
"Both sides agreed that this was a
different issue,' said Perry Jude
FRONT PAGE
Radecic, the legislative director for the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force;
"This was the President inviting us
to his house," she added. "But we also
assured the White House that we would
continue to speak out on the AIDS
issue."
Overwhelming Support for Bill
Photocopy-Preservation
The National Hate Crimes Statistics
NY TIMES B6 4/24/90
Act, which was strongly backed by the
Administration, was passed over-
whelmingly by the House this month
President Signs
=
and by the Senate in February.
The law requires the Justice Depart
ment to spend five years gather ing
Law for Study
data on crimes motivated by prejudice
about race, religion, ethnicbackgr and
or sexual orientation.
Of Hate Crimes
Administration officials have said
the study will help Federal and local
policy makers and law-enforcementof-
Gay Rights Leaders Go
ficials decide whether they need-to
change laws or enforcement methods
to First Official Event
to deal with hate crimes.
Diann Y. Rust-Tierney, the legisla-
tive director for the A.C.L.U.'s Wash-
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL
ington office, called the new law a sign
Special to The New York Times
of a "national consensus that the issue
of hate crimes is important."
WASHINGTON, April 23 Appear
ing before an audience that included
Particular praise for Mr. Bush came
liberal Democrats, conservative Re
from the gay rights advocates, who had
occasionally been brought to the White
publicans and the first homosexual
House quietly in the Administration of
rights advocates invited to a White
House ceremony, President Bush to
President Jimmy Carter to work on
legislation but had never been included
day signed a law ordering a detailec
in a public event.
study of crimes motivated by racia].
ethnic or sexual prejudice.
Senator Orrin Hatch, the Utah Re-
publican who sponsored the bill in the
"The faster we can find out about
Senate with Paul Simon, the Illinois
these hideous crimes, the faster we can
Democrat, said the homosexual advd-
track down the bigots who commit
cates who worked to have the words
them," Mr. Bush said as he signed the
"sexual orientation" added to the origi-
law, which requires the Justice Depart-
nal measure "certainly deserved to be
ment to conduct a five-year statistical
study on crimes of hate.
there" today.
Mr. Hatch said he was startled when
"Enacting this law today, he said.
he arrived at the ceremony today and
"helps us move toward our dream
t
heard applause from groups with
society blind to prejudice; a society
open to all."
which he has had his share of political
battles.
Mr. Bush spoke at a ceremony in the
"I turned around to see who might
Old Executive Office Building next tc
have come in behind me," he said, "but
the White House, where he drew un-
to my amazement, it was me they were
usual praise from gay and lesbian or-
applauding."
ganizations, the American Civil Liber-
-
ties Union, the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People
and other groups that have criticized
his record on civil rights.