Towleroad has received a statement from Cyndi Lauper praising passage of the hate crimes bill, which President Obama will sign into law tomorrow.
"As a straight ally and as a person with many lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender family members, friends and fans, I want to thank the
Human Rights Campaign, Judy and Dennis Shepard and Senator Edward
Kennedy for their leadership in the 11 year struggle to get the Matthew
Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hates Crimes Prevention Bill enacted. FINALLY, with President Obama's signature, violent hate crimes against
the LGBT community will be recognized and prosecuted by the Federal
government. This is only the beginning, I believe that the repeal of
Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as the
passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, will soon be
here. Today, that light at the end of the tunnel for the LGBT civil
rights movement is much brighter."
