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DETROIT (AP) - Andrew Anthos had many passions in life, including old movies, legendary Hollywood screen sirens and a 20-year campaign to illuminate the state Capitol dome in red, white and blue one night a year. While he never hid that he was gay, he was no gay rights activist.
But after dying of injuries suffered last month in what witnesses portrayed as a gay-bashing, the 72-year-old Anthos has become a powerful symbol in a campaign to amend federal and state hate-crime laws to protect gays.
"The whole point is making sure that people have equal rights in the legal system, people aren't picked on or threatened just because they look or act differently," said state Sen. Hansen Clarke, who plans to introduce legislation to amend Michigan's Ethnic Intimidation Act.
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