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Loading ...Keep your word, gay group warns Congress
01.07.2009 4:16pm EST
(Washington) The nation’s largest LGBT civil rights group is calling on Congress to act swiftly to pass a wide number of bills expanding gay rights – many of which were promised by Democrats during the election campaign.
The Human Rights Campaign notes the 111th Congress includes more allies of the LGBT community than ever before. During the 2008 election cycle, HRC endorsed 212 Members elected to the U.S. House and 16 Members elected in the U.S. Senate.President Joe Solmonese said in a statement that gays, lesbians, bis and the transgendered and their allies should call their new Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and tell them to act on pro-equality legislation.
“With increased ranks of pro-equality lawmakers in both the House and the Senate, new possibilities are open to us,” Solmonese said in a statement. “But we can’t stop now; it’s our job to keep the momentum going by contacting our Members of Congress and urging them to support pro-equality legislation.”
Three of the bills – the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – died when the the last session of Congress ended and will need to be reintroduced.
HRC and other LGBT rights groups also are calling for repeal of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act which bars the government from any form of recognition of same-sex relationships.
In addition they want the inclusion of same-sex couples added to the Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act and they are calling for immigration rights for bi-national gay and lesbian couples.
“In addition to pro-equality lawmakers, there are new and returning Members of Congress who need ongoing education about LGBT issues. It is vitally important for the LGBT community to make its voices heard with the incoming Members of the 111th Congress,” said HRC Legislative Director Allison Herwitt.
HRC also is supporting the nomination of Eric Holder as Attorney General.
Holder previously served as Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration. In 1999 Holder appeared 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.”
As John McCain learned last year, it’s hard to win an election if your base isn’t excited. They won’t vote for the other party, but some of them will stay home, and fewer of them will volunteer or write checks.
Gays and lesbians are an important part of the Democratic base. If a Democratic President and an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress can’t deliver on the promises they made last year, the Democrats will have a tough time getting gay and lesbian votes, volunteers, and campaign contributions in 2010 and 2012.
If Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is still on the books in 2012, Obama will be a one term president.
I am not a member of HRC. I called my congress people already to repeal federal Defense of Marriage Act when the issue is brought up and I plan to call them again come time to put DOMA up for a vote.
I plan to call again to ask them to support immigration rights for same-sex couples.
I already act on a gay rights agenda without the prompting of HRC, etc.
Or else we will ignore the deception and pour more money on your pockets on your next fundraisers.
Yeah, since these gay “rights” have done wonders with the millions they’ve raised so far.
Oh wait, they pay a lot of money to employees.
Nice work if you can get it, yet still see gay “rights” erode through both Democratic and Republican Presidents and majorities in Congress…
Indeed, what is the “or else” part?
Okay, I said I wasn’t going to engage, but… oh, well. (Apologies to those annoyed by this intermediary thread not related to primary article.)
Trace of the many moons – I too have lived many moons, roughly 450 (that equals out to about 37 1/2 years). I was attracted to my first girl around the age of 9 & attracted to my first boy around the age of 10. Through my many moons I’ve been infatuated, lusted after, crushed on & loved both men & women. I’ve had, er, “relations” with both and to this day, thirty years later I am still attracted to both males & females. I hope to someday settle down with just one man or woman – but that wouldn’t magically turn me straight or into a lesbian. I am bi. Have always been, will always be. Doesn’t mean I’m incapable of a monogomous relationship, nor does it mean that there aren’t many gay folks who go through a phase of confusion/uncertainty when they refer to themselves as “bi” but are not truly bi. I think in this world there is definitely room for all of us.
So I am very pleased to be the very first bi person you’ve ever met. You can now say you know one “long term” bi person.
Serious, peace y’all
Once again the HRC fails to do anything meaningful. The only way congress or the government will change is if we continue to FIGHT for our rights instead of the internal fighting about why L befor G in GLBT or if Bisexuals really exists or not. (Personally I agree that Trace’s comments are as bigotted as those who claim my sexuality is a “phase”) but with this kind of in-fighting, no teeth to our threats, and the gay community continually supporting candidates that do not honor their pledges to us we will continue to be 2nd, 3rd class citizens with less rights than our straight counterparts.
Ignorance, I’ve just been in a city of roughly 5 Million people. You know, a city that has one of the most vibrant and one of the largest gay communities in the world.
I stand by my statements. I can certainly introduce you to about a dozen or so “formerly bi” folk. I can not introduce you to one long term bisexual.
Oh, good grief, Trace. Thinking bisexuals don’t exist (just confused) is as incorrect as those who believe that gays don’t exist (just corrupted by the devil). Is it so beyond people’s minds that someone could be attracted to both sexes? It’s not that difficult a concept to grasp. Really, it’s not.
But this has nothing to do with the article above & I was really just playing with inhighspeed anyway, so I have no intention of making a big debate out of it. Peace, dudes.
Wow, Trace. You become more ignorant on every post. I for one, have seen many bisexuals who remain bisexual throughout their entire lifetime. Not sure where you’ve been.
Maybe if you spent more time listening to other people rather than shoving your negative comments down everyone’s throats on online message boards, you might meet a greater diversity of people in life.
Just a thought.
Well Bi Girl. As I’ve been around the block for many moons, I’ve never seen a long term Bi person.
Always seems to be a transition for folk.
Quit you’re griping, inhighspeed. At least you always end up in the #1 or #2 spot. You don’t see us B’s or T’s complaining. Come to think of it… can we imagine a world where it’s BTLG or TBGL? lol
When did GLBT become LGBT? Have the lesbians been complaining again? Christ. It’s GLBT, GLBT, GLBT …
What’s the “Or else” part of the warning? There are no teeth to this at all.
The HRC warns Congress what?
Keep your word or we’ll just support you again whenever you’re up for election?
I bet there are Senators shaking in their boots. (And the reason they are shaking is from laughter!)