A second tribe in South Dakota has adopted hate crime protections for LGBT people. The Crow Creek Tribe met with proponents of the amendment and passed it unanimously.
Marlow Medicine Crow Jr. is on the Crow Creek Tribe Law and Order Committee. He says the hate crimes amendment is the first of it’s kind for the tribe.
“It was a long time coming. There's a lot of things that go on that would necessitate that law and maybe help give more protections to them-the people that are being discriminated against.”
Some federal hate crimes legislation applies to tribes. But adding codes to their own books helps ensure repercussions for offenders by adding on a one thousand dollar fine and increased jail time. The amendment Crow Creek adopted is modeled after the Mathews Shepard Act.
“Nobody wants their kids or families to be picked on and we’re kind of a small community. Where there’s a need out there the community really comes together.”
Two proponents spent months working to pass the amendment in the Oglala Lakota Tribe this year. Monique, or Muffie Mousseau was pleased with how quickly the Crow Creek Tribe got on board.
“Well we were pretty happy because we got to meet Marlow’s mom and she’s the one that actually looked at us and said ‘We’ve been waiting for you girls to get here’. So it was a pretty spiritual amazing cultural thing.”
Mousseau’s wife Felipa Deleon is also a proponent.
“To hear that acceptance and to have them approve it unanimously, it was an awesome feeling, to know that there is that protection for the LGBT community now.”
The hate crime amendment it expected to take effect for the Crow Creek Tribe next month.