News Media Contact: Linda Bloom · (212) 870-3803 · New York, N.Y.
See also: Churches consider strategies against hate and violence
NEW YORK (UMNS) – A resolution on "Hate Crimes in the United States" will come before the 2000 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's highest legislative body.
"The United Methodist Church must be pro-active in resisting hate and teaching young people and all members how to live in our diverse social world without passively accepting the rise of hate and bigotry," the resolution declares.
The church already has a commitment to eliminate racism in all of its forms. A 1996 resolution on global racism also called upon United Methodists to "work in coalition with secular groups to monitor and actively combat the activities of hate groups, extremist groups and militia groups I the United States and other parts of the world."
While the denomination is in conflict over the issue of homosexuality, it does officially support basic human rights for gays and lesbians and efforts to stop violence against that population.
The proposed resolution offers 14 strategies for church organizations and individual United Methodists to use to combat hate crimes. Among those strategies are advocating for strong hate crime laws, creating resources to help analyze the language of intolerance, tracking hate crimes and working with community-based and interfaith groups on the problem.
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