Thomas Daschle: “In 1996, two women were found murdered, their hands bound, their throats cut, just off the Appalachian trail in…”

“In 1996, two women were found murdered, their hands bound, their throats cut, just off the Appalachian trail in Shenandoah National Park. Their deaths were profound tragedies for those families and their loved ones. They also sparked a wave of fear among women and the gay community, that what happened to those two hikers could just as easily happen to them. That response, that fear, is exactly what makes hate crimes different from all other crimes. They target individuals, but they intimidate and dehumanize entire groups of people. Last month, Attorney General Ashcroft announced that the defendant in this case will be tried using the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act. This is the first time a Federal murder prosecution will use this provision of the law. At his press conference announcing the indictments, Attorney General Ashcroft said: Criminal acts of hate run counter to what is best in America--our belief in equality and freedom. Attorney General Ashcroft is absolutely right. Americans know that hate crimes injure the victim, the community, and the entire Nation. No one should be attacked simply because of his or her race, religion, gender, physical disabilities, or sexual orientation.”