Frederick Lawrence is a theology professor at Boston College and the author of Punishing Hate: Bias Crimes Under American Law.

Rebecca Stotzer is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her research includes studies on racial and sexual discrimination.

Brian Levin is director of the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism, a nonpartisan research and policy center at California State University, San Bernardino. Levin is also a professor of criminal justice at the university.

Gregory M. Herek is a psychologist at the University of California, Davis. He is a well-known scholar in the areas of prejudice against lesbians and gay men, hate crimes and anti-gay violence, and AIDS-related stigma.

Repent America is a Philadelphia-based evangelistic organization that works against homosexuality, abortion and evolution.

Janet Porter is the president and founder of Faith2Action, a Christian advocacy group that works to influence politics and legislation. The group is based in Dania Beach, Fla.

Advance USA promotes Judeo-Christian religious values. It is based in Independence, Mo., and maintains a Washington, D.C. office.

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations works to connect individual congregations with others across the U.S. Contact the executive assistant for the office of the president, Stephanie Carey Maron.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police is a professional organization of law enforcement personnel that works to confront new challenges in policing and promote member success. Contact Sarah Guy, the manager of legislative and media affairs.