Some folks had been wondering, since the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Law passed in Congress as an amendment to the defense spending bill, whether President Obama would make any kind of big deal about signing it into law.
I noted here in Instant Tea that there was apparently a reception set at the White House to mark passage of the hate crimes. And now, I have just received a press release from the White House confirming that. Here’s the scoop from a White House media advisory:
“On Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m., President Obama will sign into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. He will deliver brief remarks and will be joined by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Members of Congress, and others.
“Later that day, the president will host a reception to commemorate the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. He will deliver brief remarks at 6:05 p.m., and will be joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, civil rights community leaders and others.”
Those times, by the way, are E.S.T.
Without local/regional upright participation by elected officials, this well needed Law will be meaningless ! Don’t expect Texas officials affiliated with a political party who have won their elections on the backs of Gays and Lesbians, to invite Federal Agents, under the Obama Administration, into their neck of the woods !