In 2009, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced a bill called the Hate Crimes Against the Homeless Statistics Act, which would include homelessness as a hate crime designation, along with race, religion and sexuality. It's still lingering in committee.

Also in 2009, 49 homeless people were killed. Some were strangled, some beaten to death with baseball bats and some set on fire. Hate crime protection will discourage would-be perpetrators and impose harsh punishments on those who do target the homeless.

Sign this petition to write to your Senators, asking them to sign on as co-sponsors or otherwise support Cardin's bill and to protect their homeless constituents.

Photo credit: [puamelia]