FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2014
CONTACT Brian Pacheco, NHMC bpacheco@www.nhmc.org
(213) 718-0732
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senator Ed Markey announced the introduction of the Senate companion bill (S.2219) to U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries' "The Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014" (H.R. 3878). The bills direct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to prepare an update to its 1993 report, "The Role of Telecommunications in Hate Crimes," to examine the role of the Internet and other telecommunications in encouraging hate crimes based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation and create recommendations to address such crimes. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries introduced "The Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014" in the House of Representatives on January 15, 2014. The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) has long-advocated for an update to this report as a critical component of its campaign against hate speech in the media. "I salute Senator Markey on his continued resolve to study the impact of hate speech on vulnerable communities," stated NHMC's President & CEO, Alex Nogales. "Senator Markey, Congressman Jeffries and their co-sponsors on these companion bills are at the forefront of protecting the civil rights of all people. Senator Markey, in particular, was the primary person responsible for the completion of the 1993 report and it is fitting that he introduce this legislation in the Senate 21 years later. By supporting legislation to shed light on the impacts of hate speech, they are paving a road to understanding the underpinnings of violent crime and other unrest in this country." The legislation has received an outpouring of support, including a support letter from the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the 36 preeminent Latino civil rights and public policy groups in the country, as well as a letter of support signed by more than 40 public interest and civil rights groups representing diverse constituents, such as the NAACP, GLAAD, the National Congress of American Indians, the Arab American Institute, the Anti-Defamation League, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Free Press Action Fund, the National Organization for Women, and many more. Many of the groups listed have joined NHMC in its advocacy on this issue for many years.Other organizations signing the letter supporting "The Hate Crime Reporting Act of 2014" include: American Indians in Film & Television, Anti-Defamation League, Arab American Institute, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Center for Media Justice, Center for New Community, Center for Rural Strategies, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Common Cause, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Family Equality Council, Free Press Action Fund, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), GLAAD, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Human Rights Campaign, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Marriage Equality USA, Media Action Center, Media Alliance, Media Literacy Project, Media Mobilizing Project, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), NAACP, National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities (NALACC), National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC), National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Congress of American Indians, National Council for Jewish Women, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, National Hispanic Media Coalition, National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP), National Organization for Women (NOW), National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc., National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), Prometheus Radio Project, Public Knowledge, Southern Poverty Law Center, The TransLatin@ Coalition, Transgender Law Center, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI).In the past, this action has also been supported by some of the titans of Congress to include Congressman Dingell, Senator Menendez, the late Senator Inouye, and others.###
About NHMC The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a media advocacy and civil rights organization for the advancement of Latinos, working towards a media that is fair and inclusive of Latinos, and towards universal, affordable, and open access to communications. Learn more at www.nhmc.org. Receive real-time updates on Facebook and Twitter @NHMC. ]]>
