Albuquerque Journal    March 2, 1997
PO Drawer J
Albuquerque, NM 87109
opinion@abqjournal.com

House OKs Hate Measure
Gov. Threatens Another Veto
By Justin Brown
The Associated Press
   SANTA FE -- A hate crimes bill moved closer to reaching the desk of Gov.
Gary Johnson on Saturday after it was approved 37-26 by the House. The
governor vetoed a similar measure two years ago.
        The measure, which was sent to the Senate for consideration, would
allow a judge to impose a longer sentence if it's found that injury or
damage was inflicted because of a victim's race, religion, color, gender,
sexual orientation, disability or other such factor.
        Johnson vetoed a similar measure in 1995 and has said he probably
would veto this year's bill. He says all crimes are hate crimes.
In presenting the bill to the House, Rep. R. David Pederson, D-Gallup,
contested that assertion by Johnson.
        "There's a difference between throwing a rock through someone's
window and burning a cross on a Black family's lawn," Pederson said.
        His eyes appeared to well up with tears and his voice cracked when
he told about a family trip he took to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
in Washington, D.C.
        Pederson cited statistics saying the types of hate crimes targeted
in his bill have increased by 16 percent in New Mexico in the last year.
        "This is truly an important issue," he said.
        Opponents of the bill jumped on the inclusion of sexual orientation
in the bill, saying it would be the first time that was included in state
law.
Pederson said it was needed to protect homosexuals from "gay bashing."
Rep. Jerry Lee Alwin, R-Albuquerque, called the measure a "real low for the
state of New Mexico."
        "This gives a special right to a small group based on what they do
in the bedroom," Alwin said. "If anything, we need to add Anglo males to
the bill."
Rep. Timothy Macko, R-Albuquerque, asked Pederson whether the bill would
protect those who had sex with animals or dead people.
        "Would someone wanting to practice strange sexual orientation be
protected under this statute?" he asked.
        Pederson called such questions "facetious" and reiterated that the
measure applies to people who commit crimes motivated by the group to which
the victim belongs. It would be up to a judge whether to impose a tougher
sentence, he said.
        Supporters of the bill rose in defense of homosexuals being
included in the measure.
        "People who have a different sexual orientation are suffering and
some of them have been brutally hurt," said Rep. J. Paul Taylor, D-Mesilla.

        Rep. Sheryl Williams, D-Albuquerque, wrapped up more than two hours
of debate by saying the House had been sidetracked and was missing the real
issue.
        "This bill is about racism," she said. "It is about whether a crime
can be committed against someone because they're different."