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Show ae The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Sunday, January16, 2000 Clinton Calls for Expansion of Hate-Crimes Law BY LAWRENCEL. KNUTSON acts of hatred motivated by sexual ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS orientation, gender and disability to the list of crimes already cov. sered — acts sparked byprejudice based on race, religion, color or national origin. A moveto expand the law died last year because of opposition WASHINGTON — President Clinton marked Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday Saturday by urging Congress to step up civil rights enforcement and expand the federal hate-crimes law to protect homosexuals, women and the disabled. “There are still too manybarriers and examples from Republicans in Congress. “Such hate crimes leave deep Sears notjust on the victims but on ourlarger community, for they take aim at others for who they black lawmaker in the House, Rep. J.C. Watts of Oklahoma,head of the House Republican Conference. Watts said Clinton's hate crimes proposalwasas an effort to “separate and divide,” to tell crimevictims that “some lives are more important than others.” Moneyfor enforcing civil rights laws should go to encourage prosperityin struggling minority communities “instead of creating a larger Washington bureaucracy,” Watts said. Seated near Clinton during the Oval Office address was 100-year- Speaking on King’s 71st birthday and two days before the na- tion'sofficial observance, Clinton fenewed a commitment to add overlast year. The proposals were criticizy by the GOP's highest-ran! LOS ANGELES TIMES More than 16 years after being declared a national holiday, Martin Luther King Day’ remains business as usualfor millions of Americans. Unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving or even Labor Day, King’s holiday is a work day for most of the country. Unless you're a student, banker,mail carrier or other government employee, chances are you're expected to be on the job Monday. Nosleeping in. No marching in a parade. Nopicnicsin the park, The federal government, as well as all states and many municipalities, has designated Monday a holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights leader who advocated~ changethrough nonviolentaction and won the NobelPeace Prize in 1964. (Officially, the state of Utah observes Hunan Rights Day.) Most of corporate America, ne jas not followed suit. nly 23 percentof the nation’s ae are giving their workers the day off with pay this years down from 25 percentin 1999, according to a national study of 413 private and public organizations by the BNA Inc., a Washingtonbased business news publisher. Union workersare twice aslikely to have the holiday off as non- union personnel, the survey fourid, “One would think that Martin Luther King’s contributions to the world would have earned him much more reverence, respect and appreciation,” said Geraldine Washington, president of the Los Angeles branch of the-National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “It’s troubling.” Robert Vickers, spokesman for the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, based in Atlanta, questioned the survey's accuracy. “As companies are becoming more diverse, we think thatis being reflected with an increasein the numberof them observingthe holiday.” The King center hasno data on the issue, Vickerssaid. aTo be sure, some companies are bucking the trend and embracing Martin Luther King Day for the first time, including Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. New York-based MetLife decided to declare Mondaya holiday for its 40,000 employees, in part because manyotherfinancial services companies were doing so, spokesman John Calagnasaid. The New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq began observing the holiday in 1998 and all will be closed at the White House — back then, even here, she had to use a side door,” Clinton said. “Well, today, Charlotte Filmore came to the White House through the front door and all the wayto the Oval Office.” Under Clinton's proposal, the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Departmentwould receive $98 millfon, a 20 percentincrease over last year and 86 percent above spending levels in thefirst year of old Charlotte Filmore, a black woman who worked at the White the Clinton administration. Clinton said he also will seek House as a housekeeper during $322 million for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commissign, 14 percent more than last the Eisenhower administration. The president called Filmore a living testament to civil-rights Many Companies Give King Day 2nd-Class Treatment BY MARC BALLON progress in America, as well as to the open discrimination of the past. “A good while ago she worked ear. Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press President Clinton talks with one-time White House employee pa lotte Filmore, 100, as she leaves the White House fol president's radio address Saturday. Marking Martin Luther King ieSs birthday, Clinton called forincreased civil-rights enforcement. f BOUNTII LIVING FOR SENIORS Monday, & will public schools. Still, King’s day remains a low priority with most companies. Manyblack Americans will take the day off whether or not their companies observethe holiday, said Aubry Stone, president of the California Black Chamber of Commercein Sacramento. “People of color, especially African-Americans, will take a ‘vacation or sick day to attend the various parades, conferenceS‘and celebrations that are going on The Oarmlts, Care and Concern of Family. aroundthestate,”she said. NOW OPEN IN BOUNTIFUL Ratherthan giving employees a day off, some companies have chosenother ways to honor King. Hughes Electronics Corp. in El Segundo,Calif., has planned sev- eral events for employees,includ- ing screening documentaries on the slain civil rights leader's life and seminars on thecivil rights movement, said T.,Warren Jack- son, a vice president of diversity at Hughes. Despite the business community’s tepid response, Martin Luther King Day maintains. dignity tuat some national holidays might havelost, said U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., who in 1968 introducedlegislation to declarea holiday commem#rating King. “Atleast it hasn’t deteriorated into a day of department store sales,” Conyers said. ASSISTANCE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES 2:STORY GARDEN ATRIUM 24-HOURSTAFFING DELICIOUS MEALS PRIVATE APARTMENTS, ~ HOUSEKEEPING TRANSPORTATION, INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING WITH SUPPORTIVE ASSISTANCE 29854200 Bedroom and Studio Apartments. She 500South / Bountiful, Utab 84010 / Adjacent to Davis CommunityHospital | bridae . GIVE THE PERFECT WEDDING GIFT ZCMI is closed for inventory and wi re-open Monday, January 31. Even though wewill be closedsfor a short time, you canstill get that perfect weddinggift throughout January. All you need is the nameof the bride or groom and a telephone. Simply call 1-800-452-6323 and allow our shopping consultants to assist youin finding that special.” wedding present. As a courtesy, we'll even tal ke care of the gift wrap and shipping. 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