Hate crimes are acts of violence directed against people because of their racial, religious, ethnic, gender or sexual identity. The rising numbers and viciousness of hate crimes are a concern for all Americans. Hate violence also is a trade union issue that affects the quality of life of union members just as much as what their union negotiates in wages or benefits at the bargaining table.

But hate crimes are just a polite name today for what we used to call 40 years ago, lynchings. Lynchings were America's shame throughout the first half of this century. Anti-lynching laws slowed this form of violence against African-Americans. But as appalling as lynchings were, the persistence of violent crimes against virtually every racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual minority, as well as against women, remains a large problem today.

We live in the most diverse society on earth. Many of us are members of one or another minority, be it racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, national origin, or sexual. But none of us are immune to hate crimes. Violence motivated by bigotry targets many different segments of society: African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans; Jewish-Americans and Arab-Americans; Native Americans; recent immigrants; women; and gays and lesbians, to name just a few.

Since 1991, when statistics on hate violence first began to be collected, the FBI has documented over 50,000 hate crimes. Last year, even as other crime went down, the numbers of hate crimes increased. In fact, hate violence against gays and lesbians jumped eight percent. As the statistics point out, hate crime is a growing national problem. Since last summer, a number of well-publicized hate crimes have occurred that included the dragging death of a black man in Texas, the beating death of a gay man in Wyoming, gunfire at a Los Angeles Jewish community center, and a series of bombings at Florida A&M college.

Union members are deeply affected by hate violence. Because labor unions reflect the many different faces of America, we bear a special responsibility to speak out against hate violence and promote appreciation for our nation's diversity. In October, the Jewish Labor Committee and the six constituency groups of the AFL-CIO co-sponsored a panel on hate crimes just before the opening of the AFL-CIO convention. I was honored to represent the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

More than 200 union leaders and activists participated, including the family of slain letter carrier John Illito who was recently killed after a gunman attacked the Los Angeles Jewish community center. Both AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson were among the speakers. From the depth of comments during the forum, we clearly touched an open nerve among our members. Union members, young and old, male and female, straight and gay, are looking to their union to take a leadership role in stemming the rise of hate violence in the community and on the job.

Our first goal is passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 10882, S. 622. Currently, the federal government only prosecutes hate crimes if the victim is involved in the exercise of a "federally protected right" such as voting or attending school. As a result, federal assistance is severely limited in investigating or prosecuting hate crimes, even when the crime is particularly heinous. Federal law also does not include gays, lesbians or bisexuals.

The proposed hate crimes legislation amends existing law to add sexual orientation, gender and disability to the categories of hate violence. In addition, the bill includes hate crimes regardless if the victim was pursuing a federally protected right. Only 21 states and the District of Columbia have hate crimes laws which include sexual orientation and eight states have no statutes.

The hate crimes bill will bring uniformity and the moral authority of the nation to combat hate crimes. The power of federal prosecutors is vital in cases where local authorities lack the power or the will to vigorously pursue violent offenders who commit crimes in which the victim was targeted because of race, religion or sexual orientation.

"Even in states that have broad hate crimes statutes, the higher penalties available under the federal statute, the complexity of the investigation, the procedural advantages of a federal prosecution, or the failure of a state prosecution may mean that a federal prosecution is warranted," says a White House briefing paper.

Labor applauds President Clinton's vigorous pursuit of this bill. Despite widespread public support for the bill, conservatives in Congress have blocked its passage because they are against any kind of legal recognition of homosexuals, even though they are a growing target of hate violence. Laws cannot, of course, change people's hearts. But I have always felt that laws can alter behavior. There are people who may never like me. But at least they will be arrested and perhaps jailed if they try to hurt me. Hate crimes legislation sends a powerful message that our nation will not tolerate violence based on the way someone looks or believes. It is a message we should all support.

Beyond legislation, our unions have a responsibility to educate and inform our members about hate violence. We must raise this issue in stewards training, in labor education courses, at the workplace, in our conferences and newsletters. Combating hate violence should be a vital mission for our local unions that is just as important as collective bargaining, the safety and welfare of members, fighting discrimination and promoting worker justice.

Violence of any kind is unacceptable. But hate violence undermines the social contract that holds the very fabric of our nation together. The victims of hate violence suffer not only physical wounds but also must bear the emotional and mental pain that they are targeted simply because of who they are.

We are a diverse people, from many lands and places. Intolerance is an attack on the principles that make America great. The trade union movement has long stood as a bulwark for democracy. We are the voice of working families who demand that values of fairness and decency be practiced in the community and at the workplace. America's unions denounce hate violence and will urge our members to celebrate the differences and the diversity which strengthens our nation.

Reprinted from American Income Life Labor Agenda, November 1999.