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Loading ...Attorney Gen pick praised by gay rights org
12.02.2008 1:41pm EST
(Washington) President-Elect Barack Obama’s choice of Eric Holder as Attorney General of the United States has won praise from the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization.
The Human Rights Campaign said that Holder, the former deputy attorney general in the Clinton Administration, has proved himself to be a strong advocate for fairness and basic rights and an unswerving proponent of fully-inclusive federal hate crimes legislation.“In Eric Holder, President-Elect Obama has chosen an attorney general who has demonstrated his dedication to civil rights, protecting communities from hate violence, and the fair and equal application of our laws,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
“Eric Holder has recognized the deleterious effect that hate and bias crimes have not just on victims, but on entire communities. President-Elect Obama’s appointment continues to prove his commitment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.”
Holder’s appointment is the latest in a series of moves by President-elect Obama that illustrate his commitment to fairness and LGBT equality, said Solmonese.
Obama’s Transition Project has instituted a fully inclusive nondiscrimination policy for those applying for positions within the new administration. In addition, a number of openly gay people have been selected to contribute their considerable expertise to the transition.
Two weeks ago, the Obama Transition Project published an extensive agenda for the next four years, including a section on key policies for LGBT people and families, on its website. The Obama-Biden plan reiterates strong support for inclusive hate-crimes and employment discrimination protections, repeal of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act and “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and a stronger and more strategic response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic.
After graduating from Columbia Law School, Holder joined the Department of Justice’s Attorney General’s Honors Program.
In 1988 he was nominated for and confirmed as Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In 1993 President Clinton nominated Holder for United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, and he was confirmed later that year.
In this role he worked vigorously to reduce crime and increase neighborhood safety. Notably, he emphasized hate crimes enforcement to ensure that bias-motivated crimes would receive adequate resources, attention, and punishment. Hate crimes continued to be a priority for Holder after his 1997 appointment by President Clinton to Deputy Attorney General.
In a 1999 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee Holder called for LGBT inclusion in federal hate crime law, noting that currently the law “provides no coverage whatsoever for violent hate crimes committed because of bias based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability, and these crimes pose a serious problem for our nation.”
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would add sexual orientation to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.
The bill passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill. It passed but then went to conference where it was stripped out.
The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President-elect Obama has said that if it passes he will sign it.
Ron, maybe you should start refering to specific states since that could help prove or disprove your statements as opposed to talking in generalities. You want to move the conversation west from NH? Colorado… went all democrat in 2006. Within a year, they had second parent adoption rights and inclusive anti-discrimination laws on the books. Go further west – Oregon. Democrats there spearheaded civil unions after gay marriage was banned by voters as well as anti-discrimination laws. I’ll never say every democrat is my best friend and will lay down on his or her sword for my equal rights, but when you look at the party as a whole, there is no denying that the democrats are getting the work done.
Sorry Phil, I wasn’t referring to specific states; my reference to both parties was in general they have no interest in gay issues whatsoever; NH may be a shining example of democratic change in that region 2500+ miles east of me.
It seems to me that you must have misread what I did say Chris, I didnt make any mention of being a sore loser in any way shape or form; perhaps you need glasses, or just try re-reading it a few dozen times and you might just derive what my point actually was.
>And I blame all of you for the horror you’ve created. Enjoy.
Maybe just keep that mind open a tiny bit, just crack?
And then let’s have this conversation again in four years.
I wish people would stop pretending that they *KNOW* what’s going to happen. I was an Obama supporter from the beginning, but I don’t pretend that I *KNOW* how he’s going to do. Is it possible he’ll crap out and be a bad president? Yes. Is it possible he can be a great one? Yes.
Let’s let it play out a bit more before *declaring* so assuredly, please…? Geez!
It makes perfect sense. Use every person that Bill Clinton used. But Obamar and Hillary were so different? Every debate, he just agreed with her. And he is not a gay friendly president. He didnt even go to Chicago pride. He himself has some gay in his history. But no one talks about those things. Enjoy your country going down the toilet. Hillary is worthy of way more than something dubbed “secretary.” And I blame all of you for the horror you’ve created. Enjoy.
RON- you need to stop posting negative crap on our website. Nobody likes a sore “LOSER”, and that’s all I have seen from you. Don’t get your panties in a bunch if your choice of presidency didn’t make it into the White House. I think you need your ba-ba and a nap, because somebody doesn’t sound happy and may need his diaper changed. GROW UP
Ron, stop giving the tired line that democrats don’t ever do anything for the gay community. I had someone tell me that a few weeks ago and I had two words for him – New Hampshire. This was the token red state of New England, the one that only about a decade ago was the only other state besides Florida that expressly made it illegal for gays to adopt. Then in 2006, for the first time in over 130 years, the democrats won the state house, senate, and governorship. Within 8 months, a full scale civil unions bill was passed and signed into law. Something like this was unheard of when New Hampshire was primarily republican, and if you look around now, continues to be unheard of in other red states. There are many good ideas and principles in the republican party. But in terms of social issues and creating an environment where I feel safer for me and my family, I’ll look to the democrats any day of the week. Not every one is going to represent my interests, but as a group they’ve certainly earned my trust and respect.
Organizations can endorse anyone they want to, but for a gay organization to endorse a democrat or a group of democrats by virtue of nothing more than the fact that they refuse to ever endorse republicans (remember people this is a republic not a democracy; it always has been a republic and always will be) is sheer stupidity. Neither of the two major political parties as a whole give a damn about gays or anything pertaining to gays and to try to shine gay people on that endorsements by a major LGBT group have some solemn meaning is ridiculous. Wake up people, gay groups only endorse the lesser of what they feel is two evils. Keep voting for those democrats and watch your federal spending increase, your federal government increase in size, your taxes increase, the rights of your state and your rights as a citizen diminish. When is the last time a gay organization backed a libertarian or a green party or a peace and freedom party candidate, I’ll tell you, NEVER.
Light candles, burn incense, chant, or whatever your spiritual tradition does … ask the Universe that the Democrats may PLEASE get 60 seats in the Senate.
In any case, expect a WALL / WAIL of opposition from the Reich Wing to ANY human rights legislation …
They are ALREADY posting pics of Pres.-Elect Obama online with the curled horns of the Beast / Anti-Christ superimposed.
James “F**k YOU and YOUR Families” Dobson is already squalling / praying (NOT!) / fouling his baggy boxers / asking for yet MORE money to fight the “godless abortionist liberals of the Left.”
In Salt Lake City, the geriatric Council of Twelve Apostles (!@#$%^&*??!! NOT!!) is messing their Depends over the VERY strong prospect that DOMA and DADT will be done away with, and ENDA will be passed.
I wish them all happy bowel movements.
The 20th Century is OVER, and with it the stranglehold of the fascists of the Right on American society. It’s morning again in America, and it’s NOT the false dawn of Ronnie Ray-Gun.
Cheers,
Bud Burgoon-Clark
GLAD I LIVED TO SEE IT!!!
Ombaba is putting together an awesome team. Congrats to all of them. Now lets get to work..:) I cant wait till January. George can go ahead on back to Crawford. We’ll handle it from here.
The bill will be reintroduced in the next session of Congress and President-elect Obama has said that if it passes he will sign it.
Yes… I appreciate this as a priority bill. Though a fully-inclusive ENDA cannot be far behind… PLEASE.