Vigil Honors Hate Crime Victims
The annual Vigil for Victims of Hate and Violence brought dozens of supporters out to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Montgomery Sunday.
The vigil honors Billy Jack Gaither, who was reportedly beaten and burned for being a homosexual in Sylacauga 1999.
Since that day, a vigil has been held every year– to remember Gaither and other victims of hate crimes.
“Even though a hate crime particularly is directed at a person who is a member of a minority, because of that minority status and usually are brutal, extremely violent, vicious kinds of crimes,” Chair of the Vigil Dr. Paul Hard said.
Under current Alabama law, violence against the LGBTQ community is not considered a hate crime. People like Travis Jackson of Montgomery Pride United are urging lawmakers to recognize the minority under state-wide hate crime laws.
“We would like to see our governmental officials, city, county, state, as well as country, be more aware that there is a dire need for protection,” Jackson said.
City and civic leaders also came to the vigil to show support.
“We’re members of your community. We’re your neighbors, we’re your coworkers, we’re your friends. We’re the person that sits next to you in church and you might not even know it,” Hard said.
During the vigil, community advocates received awards for their work for the LGBTQ community. Leaders held a roll call and moment of the silence for the country’s hate crime victims.
Currently, about 31 states and Washington DC include sexual orientation or gender identity in their hate crime laws. Alabama, however, does not.
