It was ten years ago that openly gay Matthew Shepard was beaten to death by cowardly homophobes. What better way to honor his memory and the memory of countless other GLBTQ victims of violence and harassment than to urge Congress to pass a necessary hate crime bill? The Matthew Shepard Act will give GLBTQ people the protection they deserve by outlawing hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Two years ago, there were efforts to pass this Act, but thanks to George W. Bush's veto threat, it was blocked. But now, there's a real chance of getting it passed. Please visit the Human Rights Campaign to send an e-mail to your representatives, urging them to support the Matthew Shepard Act. There is also a very powerful (though possibly triggering) video with a statement by Judy Shepard, Matthew's mom. I'm sure it would be a huge comfort to Matthew's family if this Act were to pass.