The National Coalition for the Homeless, in its August 2010 report on Hate Crimes Against the Homeless, declared: “Violent, often fatal, attacks on homeless Americans now outnumber all other categories of hate crimes combined." Last year alone there were 43 murders, and over the past decade there have been 1,100 documented attacks including 300 homicides. These numbers are likely extremely low due to under-reporting. Attacks have included such things as dousing the homeless with gasoline and setting on fire, to beating with baseball bats.
It is important that "homelessness" is added to federal Hate Crimes Legislation. Only a handful of states now include homelessness in their state legislation, but the homeless need to be protected on a national level as well. We must stand up for society's most vulnerable victims.
I've always believed that each of us has the power to change lives and impact the world for the better. While interning on Capitol Hill in college - I learned how important contituents letters and phone calls were to let my congressman know the issues that were important to his community. Please look at this petition and sign it - it asks our elected officials to include homelessness as a protected group within Hate Crimes Legislation.
Petition is here: http://homelessness.change.org/petitions/view/end_hate_crimes_against_the_homeless
