This message was issued to LGBT Americans last night by Hillary Clinton, concerning her commitment to LGBT civil rights.As I have traveled around the country these past twelve months, what I sensed in my heart has been confirmed – America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before. On the campaign trail, a father of a gay son will ask about ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A woman will ask why she can be discriminated against just because of who she is. Sometimes they wait furtively for the crowd to thin and then whisper their confidences in a soft voice and sometimes they stand up proudly at town meetings and want me to share my views on how I will help lead the change to assure that this country fulfills its promise to everyone.
Let me tell you what I have been telling voters across America. I am fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans. For seven long years, the Bush Administration has tried to divide us - only seeing people who matter to them. It's been a government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And no community has been more invisible to this administration than the LGBT community.
I will change that. The best evidence of what I will do as President is what I have already done.
I am proud of my record as First Lady, as a U.S. Senator and as a candidate for President in working toward the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans.
I am proud that as Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in 2006, I worked closely with LBGT community to develop a smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment. I am proud of fighting the FMA as divisive wedge politics at its worst.
I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act which would grant the same benefits (including health insurance) to domestic partners of federal employees that are currently offered to employees' legal spouses.
I am proud to have authored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands access to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV, and fought to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act.
I am proud that I hired a National Director of LGBT Outreach within a month of announcing my candidacy for President and to have openly gay and lesbian staffers serving at all levels of my campaign.
I am proud to have a National LGBT Steering Committee of over 130 that includes openly LGBT elected officials, Board members and opinion leaders on issues ranging from transgender rights, to HIV/AIDS, to "Don't Ask Don't Tell".
I am proud to have marched in Gay Pride parades as both First Lady and as Senator and to have spoken in front of so many LGBT audiences ranging from the Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, the Hetrick Martin Institute, PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis), and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.
I am proud to have fought Republican efforts to demonize and marginalize the LGBT community, and I will continue to do that as President.
We have so much work to do. When I am President, we will work together to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits and that nothing stands in the way of loving couples who want to adopt children in need. We're going to expand our federal hate crimes legislation and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and assure that they are both fully inclusive of all people. And finally, we will put an end to the failed policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice - the traits that define our men and women in uniform - have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
My father was a conservative Republican, who held very traditional views for much of his life. Yet in his last years, it was a gay couple who lived next door who provided much of the compassion and comfort he and my mother needed as he grew ill. And it was that same neighbor who held his hand as he died. If my father can move, America can move.
To each and every LGBT American, I say this. You have done so much to help this country understand your lives by simply being open and honest about who you are and living your lives with dignity. Thank you for your courage. It is time that we recognize your hard work. I know that this country is ready for changes in the law that reflect the evolution in our hearts.
America deserves a President who appeals to the best in each of us, not the worst; a President who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love. I want to be that President. I want to be your President.
10 comments:
...and now you understand why 'Gladys' is such a big Hillary fan! Thanks for publishing her message.
In this Senator Clinton says all Americans deserve a president who would treat them equally, but she opposes equal marriage rights for gay couples. She has said she favors giving us "separate but equal" marriage-like rights, but that would be unconstitutional, so by Senator Clinton's own logic we should not vote for her, right?
Personally, I'm an Obama fan and did cast my vote for him, although he really hasn't pledged to do much more for the gay community. As much as I like Hillary, and I do, it would be better if she weren't the Democratic nominee for so many reasons.
As my partner and I were reading her statement together, I noticed exactly what you pointed out, and I brought that to my partner's attention. He, however, was getting caught up in the emotion of it all. I think we should put her statement into the context of this close Primary election. I believe it was rather strategic to release the statement just on the eve of Super Tuesday.
Like Senator Clinton, Senator Obama also opposes equal rights when it comes to homosexuals. Senator Obama responded to the HRC candidate questionaire opposing equal marriage rights on religious grounds.
A friend told me yesterday that Senator Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ which ordained it's first openly gay minister in 1972 and supports equal marriage rights. This would mean Senator Obama is not only opposed to the rights we're garanteed by the constitution, but he also opposes his own church on this matter.
You know, I hear you on this but who now would be our best choice? The only candidates who supported gay marriage have already disappeared from the Democratic radar screen. Unfortunately, the alternative for now is accepting the next best thing. For me, sitting out the vote is not acceptable.
The truth is the President doesn't have the power to grant gay marriages across the U.S. It's left to the states to decide. The President can lead and influence on the issue, and sign legislation but is limited on doing much else on this specific topic, no?
One of the two states in which I reside, Florida, will be voting on a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages and unions this November. This topic is extremely frustrating to me, as I'm sure it is to others as well. I'm spreading the word as much as I'm able through my blogs, etc.
My other home state of New York seems open to gay marriages/unions but just seems to be sitting on the issue. For the life of me I can't figure out why New York has been so slow to move on this. Upstate is more conservative than the City but not that conservative. Maybe I'm wrong, who knows?
Well, I think our only choice is going to be try and educate whichever nominee the Democratic Party decides on why equal rights are important. Both Senators Clinton and Obama are willing to talk about gay rights, they've both said they support some limited forms of rights for us, which is a start.
The other day I was fortunate to attend a screening of the documentary The Times of Harvery Milk here in San Francisco. It was put on by the producers of the film Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant and staring Sean Penn as the assasinated district supervisor and civil rights activist before filming a pair of protests where the community got to be extras.
I bring it up because Harvey Milk was a leader in the campaign against Prop 6 in (I think) 1977, a statewide proposition that would have made it legal to fire school teachers who were gay, or even suspected of being gay. Towards the election, the polls had it winning by a 61% majority until Milk and the opposition was able to bring enough presure on President Carter to speak against it he broken down and asked Californians to reject it.
It worked, in an even more hostile climate towards gay rights, President Carter spoke out against Proposition 6 and it failed. Like you said, the president is not in a position to change marriage laws, but they are in a position to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States and it's not always done by making laws.
If the president set their foot down and said all Americans get the same rights under their watch, it would effect the outcome of elections. Florida still doesn't allow gay americans to adopt children, right?
I don't see why we shouldn't put as much pressure as we can on the presidential candidates to protect the constitutional rights of gay americans, that's the job they are asking us to hire them for.
Very well said. Yes, the candidates do have a way to go on the issue but you're right, at least the Democratic candidates are willing to listen. We've actually come a long way with our polititians in a short period of time. At least now we can have a dialog about it openly. It wasn't too long ago that we couldn't even do that. It just pisses me off when I hear people like Huckabee say that everyone is created equally, but then in his next breath he talks about us like we're the scum of the earth and deserving of no legal protection. He has such a superior attitude, it gets me sick.
As far as Harvey Milk and Jimmy Carter go, their experiences give us hope. I've heard rumblings that Gov. Crist is against the proposed amendment, but he doesn't seem to anxious to speak up for us. Perhaps some of the state advocacy groups could lobby him on our behalf. BTW, I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary. What did you think about it?
To answer your question, Florida is the only state which specifically bans gay adoption. They'll let us be foster parents but not adopt. Thanks Anita Bryant, where ever the hell you are today.
I probably look at political campaigns a bit different than most people, because I think it's a time for the candidates to learn about the voter's needs and wants as much as for them to convince us to vote for them.
I'm really bothered by how much of the campaigns are spent by candidates nitpicking each others statements and votes for inconsistancies. It doesn't bother me when a candidate changes their position on an issue, but why, when and how. Watching Senator Clinton defend her vote for war in Iraq while claiming she's against it is aburd and looks to me like she's more concerned with covering her ass for a bad choice than admiting it was a mistake (one which most of congress made, not just her) and saying we need to let it go so we can fix things now.
What I like to see in a candidate (and I see this a lot on the city level) is a candidate say they were opposed to (or supportive of) some position or another, but they went and talked to the people it effected and now that they understand better they are reversing their position.
Thanks for posting this. i'm currently caught in the same problem that you mentioned, that the candidates who supported same-sex marriage have long since left the race. i watched the CNN debates the other night and came up even between the two democratic candidates...and am still undecided. it's going to be interesting to say the least.
Jamison: Your philosophy of political campaigns seems so logical, but yet we still find the national candidates playing an entirely different game. Like you said, it has become a nit-picking jamboree instead of a time to truly understand our issues.
Changing positions on an issue makes so much sense in the context you suggest. You know, the whole "flip-flop" argument takes on so much life; it's ridicules. The media certainly has a hand in perpetuating the negative spin. They tend to be very biased and purposely blow things out of proportion, making it difficult to see the other side. But of course it would be wise to reverse positions when one really listens to his constituents. Political opponents also love to spin on this topic whenever they can. Unfortunately many throughout America buy into the propaganda. I just hate to see intelligent people get sucked into believing such crap. But unfortunately, they follow right to where they are led.
Carapiccoladiva: Yeah, the two Democratic candidates are very similar on their positions. I can see how it's a tough decision to make but I believe Obama will change the course of America in a more positive way. For me, I like Hillary, but I also know what comes along with her (the opposition's drive to destroy her). I'm so ready for America to move on from that. I'm very tired of the "us against them" mentality. Of course that's here to stay, probably forever, but Obama won't bring that same opposition's intensity to the table with him.
My partner and some of my good friends support Hillary and just won't see my point on this. I just really hope they are not representative of how the rest of America is thinking. Now is our chance to make things change, for real.
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