Rally stresses anti-hate issue

Will Utah be the only state in the nation to not pass an enforceable hate-crimes bill? Not if we can help it, say advocates, who are coming up with new strategies to keep the issue alive — including hiring a paid lobbyist and meeting one-on-one with reluctant legislators long before next year's Legislature convenes.

As Josh Nowitz says, "Just 'cause it's May, hate crimes haven't stopped. Just 'cause it's May, we haven't forgotten that hate crimes legislation needs to be passed."

Nowitz, a shaggy-haired senior at Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete County, was the driving force behind a "Rally Against Rage" Saturday afternoon that drew 150 people to the steps of the state Capitol. Nowitz, who was the only person in the crowd wearing a suit and tie, had managed to orchestrate an event that featured the issue's heavy-hitters: Salt Lake legislators David Litvack and Jackie Biskupski, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Forrest Cuch, director of the State Division of Indian Affairs.

"It's an embarrassment, frankly, that the state does not have an enforceable hate-crimes statute," Shurtleff told the crowd. Various hate-crimes bills have been introduced over the past decade but none have passed, including four sponsored by Litvack.

Utah's current hate-crimes law, passed in 1991, is so vague "it isn't worth the paper it's written on," Litvack said, pointing to two cases in which it was of no help: the 1996 cross-burning on a bi-racial's couple's lawn and a fire started at Curry-in-a-Hurry shortly after the World Trade Center attacks.

So, this time around, Shurtleff is arranging for a paid lobbyist. Since by law his office can't pay for the lobbyist, he encouraged rallygoers to "dig deep" to help finance the effort. "This takes it to a whole new level," said Litvack about the lobbyist and planned efforts to meet with individual legislators between now and next January.

Biskupski urged advocates to make hate-crimes legislation an issue in upcoming elections. And don't forget the governor's race, said Linda Hilton, coordinator of the Coalition of Religious Communities, which helped sponsor the rally.

The event drew members from local Unitarian, United Church of Christ and Presbyterian churches, as well as people like Robert Thurman who have relatives who are gay.

"I have a gay brother," said Thurman, "and his spouse has been assaulted just walking down the street. People should be able to walk down the street." His brother lives in Atlanta, he said, "but Salt Lake is by no means immune."