Rene Mullin's life will forever be scarred with the brutal death of her father James Byrd Jr. She will also be reminded of the rejection she got from Gov. George W. Bush.

Jordan Snyder, of Miami, said racial problems aren't a problem at his school because everyone "keeps their business to themselves." (Eva Hibnick photo)

   "On June 7, 1998 my father was dragged 3 miles behind a truck until his life was taken from him, all because he was black. I went to Gov. George W. Bush and begged him to help pass a Hate Crimes Bill in Texas. He just told me no."
   Hate crimes have been going on everywhere in the country, including Florida.
   On Sept. 2, 1998 in New York, N.Y., three men allegedly assaulted two men they believed to be gay. Again in Woodside, N.Y., on March 20, 1999, two women were charged with assault and aggravated harassment after they allegedly attacked an Asian youth and yelled racial insults.
   Some hate crimes in Florida include the beating and killing of a mentally retarded man by two of five men accused on May 1, 2000, in Jacksonville.
In St. Petersburg on April 3, 1999, a 6-year old African American girl was killed by one of 12 rounds fired by a self-proclaimed skinhead.
   Jody-Gaye Bailey, a black woman, died after being shot in the head on Feb. 24, 1999 by another skinhead. Minutes before the Ft. Lauderdale shooting, the perpetrator reportedly boasted of wanting to "go out and kill a n---er."
   Hate crimes include just about every kind of discrimination possible--race, gender, age and sexual preference-but do not only occur on the streets.
   At one time, schools were known as a safe haven for children. With recent events around the country, including the Sunshine State, that image is fading.
   "On my bus there are people who are suspected of being homosexuals and they deal with a lot of stress with other kids throwing things at them. People pick on them," said Chloe Holdren, a senior at Lincoln Park Academy from Port St. Lucie.
   Not all schools are alike, though, and some students still experience that protected environment. Senior Nicole Hennegar of Bayside High School in Palm Bay said, "Nobody really cares which sex you prefer or makes a big deal out of it."
   Local high school students, on the other hand, are familiar with the problem. Laura Phillips, a senior at Buchholz High School in Gainesville said, "I see it all the time at school. I hear all of the derogatory names made toward homosexuals. The people mainly involved are the ones that play on the sports teams."
   The name-calling and racial slurs aren't limited only to younger students. Colleges also face the issue.
   In mid-October an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, was tortured and brutally beaten by two white men who lured him out of a local bar. They hung him on a fence in the middle of a field to die.
   Of course not all educational institutions experience these problems." It's not really a problem at my school. Everyone just keeps their business to themselves," said Jordan Snyder, a junior at Coral Gables High School in Miami. But, then again, even in peaceful schools such as this one, " People sit separately at lunch. Not because they have to, just because they only make friends within their own race."
   Sports are often a place where divisions or comfort levels are most prominent. With integrated teams, the potential for problems can raise its head.
   "In our sports teams there are no lines or boundaries. That's actually where I made some of my friends of different races," Snyder said.
   Web sites, commercials and campaigns have been organized to help put an end to hate crimes across the country. Several networks have broadcast commercials of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. and have shown the world the consequences of two different hate crimes.
   Web sites such as unitedagainsthate.com and MTV's fightforyourrights.mtv.com are on the Web, along with many others, to inform people about the effects of hate crimes and what can be done to help stop them.
   These Web sites also give statistics and lists of places to volunteer. Not only does MTV have a Web site on hate crimes, but they also show it on T.V. From different shows, diverse topics and many celebrities involved in Fight For Your Rights, MTV shows the facts and the anatomy of hate crimes so young people may fully understand what's going on and what they can do to help.
   "I think that the shows and campaigns are a great way to help get their help across America," said 18-year-old Benjamin Newton of Gainesville.