Date:         Fri, 13 May 1994 11:41:11 -0400

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Following is this month's sample letter on lesbian, gay & bisexual issue.
Donald Edwards fax number is (202) 225-9460



                                                               May 15, 1994



The Hon. Donald Edwards, Chair
Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Edwards:

I am writing to ask that the policy mandate of the Community
Relations Service (CRS) of the Justice Department be changed to
specifically include mediation in cases of hate crimes and
community disputes involving sexual orientation. I ask that
legislation be initiated to widen that mandate.

Cases already covered by the CRS mandate include mediation to
resolve tensions based on race, color and national origin.
Attorney General Reno has requested the CRS to intervene and
mediate in the case of Camp Sister Spirit in Mississippi as a
one-time exception. This case does involve harassment based on
sexual orientation. But hate crimes and harassment are not rare
exceptions in the lives of gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals
and institutions. Police departments, law enforcement
organizations and other public interest monitors of vicious
harassment and hate-related crimes, such as the Southern Poverty
Law Center, have for some time recognized and tallied these
violent acts directed toward gay, lesbian and bisexual targets.

The gay lesbian and bisexual community suffers disproportionately
under the assault of intolerance, harassment and violence. Even
one hate-motivated assault against a member of any group destroys
trust and respect in our community as a whole. The mandate of the
CRS should be extended to include mediation to resolve incidents
of hate crimes and harassment directed toward ethnic, racial and
sexual orientation minority group members who lawfully operate as
part of any community.

Community tensions arising from disputes involving sexual
orientation should be given equal attention under the CRS mandate
and I am asking that legislation to accomplish this be
immediately introduced.

Yours truly,