Stop the Hate. Educate. In an interview with James Byrd Jr.'s sister, she reveals that the Byrd family was willing to sacrifice the James Byrd Hate Crimes Billrather than let sexual orientation beexcluded from it. by Jennifer Holladay and Catherine Smith

On June 7, 1998, three white men chained James Byrd Jr. to the back of a pick-up truck and dragged him for several miles down the country roads near Jasper, Texas. Byrd died a painful, excruciating death, and he died because his murderers hated black people.

The dragging death of James Byrd Jr. drew attention to the issue of hate crimes nationally and, on a local level, to the Lone Star State's outdated 1993 hate crime statute. In May 1999, the Byrd family lobbied the Texas Legislature to adopt a more aggressive position on bias-motivated crimes. The James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Bill never became law, however. Senate Republicans refused to support the bill because it included protection for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.

On Sept. 19, the memories of James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard will be honored at the annual dinner hosted by the ROADwomen (River Oaks Area Democratic Women). With a focus on preventing hate crimes, this year's event is called "Celebrating Diversity-Electing Gore."Members of Byrd's family will speak, as well as Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard's mother. The event will also recognize elected officials and community leaders for their efforts to pass hate crime legislation in Texas.

In anticipation of the ROADwomen event, OutSmart met and talked with Louvon Harris, James Byrd's sister, who lives here in Houston. We were both inspired and angered by our meeting. We were quite surprised by Ms. Harris's frankness about the politics surrounding the failed James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Bill, but what moved us the most was Ms. Harris's strong feeling about including sexual orientation in the bill, even though the bill would have passed without its inclusion. When asked whether they would be willing to take "sexual orientation"out of the hate crimes bill so that it might pass, this remarkable family considered it and said, "No."The gay community in Texas should know this story.

The ROADwomen Fork-in-the-Road banquet, "Celebrating Diversity-Electing Gore,"will be held Tuesday, Sept. 19, 6-9 p.m., at the Westin Oaks Hotel, 5011 Westheimer. Tickets are $100, and can be purchased by calling Muffie Moroney at 713/622-2255.

Catherine Smith: Ms. Harris, your family has shown so much strength since your brother's murder; where does that resolve come from?
Louvon Harris: Well, our family has always been a close family and [we've had] the church and our spiritual beliefs. We pull together and bond together and we're there for each other. So when we're together we always think about what our brother went through, and that gives us strength to pull together and show positive results to others.

Jennifer Holladay: Your brother's murder really did capture the nation's attention. But as with most events, public attention and media attention sort of wane after time. Have there been individuals, groups, or organizations that have continued to stand by your family as you went through the trials and as you fought the hate crimes battle here in Texas?
Yes, we had ADL, the Anti-Defamation League. We had the Victims of Crime, who went to each trial with us every day. They helped us tell the dos and don'ts in court and just were a comfort to us, a support to us. We had legislation people call and check on us to see how we were doing and try to do what they could to get the hate crime bill passed in Texas. We went to Austin several times, and Senfronia Thompson and many others have come together and tried to fight together to get this bill passed.

CS: When the bill stalled in the Senate committee in Texas, your family expressed their disappointment publicly. Not surprisingly, there are two different accounts as to why the bill never reached the governor's desk. Senate Republicans and Governor Bush claim that the bill's wording awarded a higher premium to some crime victims over others. How do you respond to that criticism?
I think it's not true because there's a difference in crime. When you lose your life because of who you are or what you believe in, to me that's a crime of hate. It's different from going to a grocery store and seeing a cash register and someone shoots someone and runs out-that is a crime, but it's a reaction. But when you seek someone out purposefully for who they are and what they believe, to me, that's a higher price for the penalty or punishment.

JH: Well, the Democrats, not surprisingly, had a very different take as to why the bill never made it to the governor's desk. They charged that the Senate Republicans and Governor Bush refused to support the bill because it extended support and protections to gay and lesbian people. Do you believe there is any truth to the Democrats' claim?
Well, the Republicans...we were called and we were asked to take sexual orientation out of the bill. That [then] they would pass it. And we [the Byrd family] talked amongst ourselves and said No way, because everyone should be covered under the law. There's no "separate"when it comes to being protected by the law. And our response to that was, No, everything stays as it is.

CS: It seems that the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Act's initial defeat has compelled the Byrd family to take a public stand on sexual orientation issues. You, along with several other family members, for example, attended the Millennium March on Washington in April. What was the march like for you?
To me it was unity among all people and showing that everyone has a purpose in life and has a right to live their life. And to show the world that we're not here to judge, we're here to appreciate each other for who we all are, and that God loves us all.

JH: The Byrd family has obviously demonstrated real support for gay and lesbian people. Has the gay community reciprocated, has the gay community been there for you?
Yes. We have gotten positive response from that community. We went to Dallas four Sundays ago to the Cathedral of Hope, which is one of the largest [gay] churches there. And they honored our family with a plaque of heroism, saying that the family who had nothing to lose and would stand up for a purpose with nothing to gain was a hero in their eyes and they felt like we were a family of heroes. They honored us with a plaque and a donation to the [James Byrd] Foundation. So they have been very positive in helping us through this time.

CS: Will the Byrd family continue to fight for a toughened hate crimes act in Texas?
Yes. We will. As long as there continue to be hate crimes, we'll continue to fight.

CS: And what is the plan to get new legislation through the Texas Legislature?
Get more people riled up about it and make it more personal to themselves and to the community and to the people in legislation. Right now, they're sitting in their high places and saying, Well, as long as it doesn't touch me, then I won't be affected by it. So we need to get in there and juggle their minds and make it more home to them, so they'll do something about it, so they'll appreciate it.

CS: How can people in the community, in all communities, get involved and help getting legislation passed?
Write your congressmen, every month, every week, every two days, and get a letter, a petition together from different communities-write your state governor and legislator as often as you can, to let them know this is how you feel, these are your people, this is the United States of America, this is how we feel about these things. We need to get it passed or else we will continue to harass you till you get it done, basically.

JH: One of the things that people who support hate crime legislation generally believe is that hate crimes have a different sort of impact on their victims and the surviving family members, that the hate crimes, because they are motivated by bias, have a different impact on the victims. At the ROADwomen event in September, you're going to make another appearance with Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard's mother. Do you and Mrs. Shepard and other hate crime victims and survivors share a certain sense of camaraderie because you do share a similar kind of tragic experience?
Yes. I have met the Shepard family several times and when we see each other we bond, we identify with the pain. I know losing a loved one is heartbreaking to anybody, through illness, sickness, or due to some mishap. But when you are tormented like Matthew Shepard was, I mean hung on a fence, and his body was in bad shape and my brother was just pulled apart-basically, that type of crime has a different effect because it goes way down deeper, because the person you love went through a horrific suffering, something that you would never think a human being should go through. Almost a sub-human-type crime. And that's why when we see each other, we identify with each other and support that type of pain, because we carry that same pain that your loved one goes through, because that person you love went through it, so you have to feel that pain for them-so therefore our pain is deeper and that's why I feel like we bond, because we understand each other.

CS: When you attend the ROADwomen's event in September, what message will you convey to the people gathered there?
Stop the Hate. Educate.

JH: Fair enough. In the name of fairness I feel compelled- because the ROAD-women event is a Democratic Party event-I do want to give equal platform to the Republicans and just ask, Does the Byrd family have any engagements with the Republican Party on its calendar?
Nope....

CS: This is our last question, but in addition to its battle for a toughened hate crimes act in Texas, the Byrd family is launching the James Byrd Jr. Foun-dation for Racial Healing. What will the foundation do and how can people get involved?
People can get involved [by calling] 1-800-656-6414. They can call if they want to volunteer or anything, or provide any material in regards to hate crimes. Our purpose is to provide education, legal assistance, and computer training for our community, starting in Jasper first, but hopefully spreading throughout then state of Texas and further on down the road. So anyone who shares the same belief or has the same interest, we would appreciate any response, monetarily or voluntarily.

JH: Well, thank you very much. CS: Thank you. Thank you.

Catherine Smith is an assistant professor at Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Jennifer Holladay is a program officer with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate crimes and white supremacist groups.