Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 07:14:56 -0600 From: Bob Summersgill Subject: bomb threat latest in campaign of hate For Immediate Release From the Gay and Lesbian Voters Alliance PO Box 4326, Albuquerque, NM 87196 Contact: Bob Summersgill, 277-9607 Bomb threat latest in campaign of hate Imagine waking up to a young man's voice on your answering machine saying: "Hi Mrs. dyke, I mean Mrs. Lesbian, um, I guess your busy tossing some salad you know, licking some tuna with your tongue. That's Okay because you know I do that kind of shit too. But gee, you're not normal because you're a fag so I think you should kill yourself, cause faggots are kind of gay you know. I have a bomb in the store, it's going off 10 hours from right now, it is 1:17 AM it will go off 10 hours, exactly, from right now." That's what happened to Martha Trolin on Thursday morning, June 11, 1998. Trolin is a long-time advocate for tolerance, respect and non-violence who appeared in two TV news broadcasts condemning hate violence and calling for a Hate Crimes Law in response to a hate crime on Monday night. Two Albuquerque women discovered that their cars had been vandalized and their garage trashed. They went to the police and went public to denounce the vandals and demand passage of the Hate Crime Act. That law would clearly tell vandals that hate is unwelcome in New Mexico. The Gay and Lesbian Voters Alliance strongly condemns the hate crimes and calls for Hate Crime Laws to be passed by the New Mexico and by the federal governments. The New Mexico Hate Crime Act is strongly supported by the Attorney General, the District Attorney's Association, the Chief of Police's Association, and the Sheriff's Association as needed legislation to combat the growing problem of hate violence. Since Gov. Gary Johnson vetoed the 1995 Hate Crimes Act, five gay men have been murdered in New Mexico just because they were Gay. Gay and Lesbian businesses are routinely vandalized and often receive death threats. Groups of skinheads have repeatedly attacked Gay and Lesbian people outside gay nightclubs. They eventually put a young, straight man in the hospital. The perpetrators remain at large, confident that the Governor has given them an implicit sanction to brutalize others. Even while bodies were being pulled from the Federal building in Oklahoma City, Johnson was meeting with Militia groups whom he called "patriots" for their continued anti-government, anti-minority, and anti-Gay armed activities. Johnson's veto and other actions has sent a message of welcome to hate groups to come to our state, unlike Martin Chavez who issued a "Proclamation of Unwelcome" to a white supremacist group who found New Mexico just the place to hold their meeting a year ago. Former Mayor Martin Chavez introduced New Mexico's only Hate Crime Law in Albuquerque, which is as strong as it can be under state law, but only adds up-to 30-days or $500 and only applies to misdemeanors. The decision for opponents of hate crime could have a more clear choice for Governor. Chavez intends ask the New Mexico legislature to once again pass the Hate Crimes Act. Gov. Johnson would give us four more years of sanctioning hate groups and intolerance. The federal Hate Crimes Law is so weak that it can almost never be applied. Sexual orientation wasn't included in the law, so attacks on Gay people can't even be investigated by federal authorities. A new bill, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, would fix the problems in the current federal law. Senator Phil Maloof supports the bill. His republican opponent won't say what her position on the bill is. Judging from her former boss and her new friends in Congress like Newt Gingrich, she will likely oppose the bill and give further support to thugs and terrorists. Again, the choice is clear. Martha Trolin is available for interview at 505-232-3760. The Gay and Lesbian Voters Alliance seeks equality under the law and legal protections from discrimination and violence for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and straight people. -30-