A Debate

BY GREG D. KUBIAK

 

With the Vice Presidential
choices picked and the national
party nomination conventions
completed, the next major
events in this campaign season
will be the candidate debates.
With the anti-GLBT provisions
in the GOP platform, an openly
lesbian daughter of the
Republican Vice Presidential
nominee, and the plethora of
issues at stake in this election,
here’s a wish list of questions
for the debates to come up this
fall.

Question: Mr. Cheney, do
you believe that millions of
GLBT Americans, like your
daughter Mary, have a right to
be protected fromjob discrimi-
nation on the basis of sexual
orientation? If so, does your
ticket support the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act
(ENDA), sponsored by 173
Members of the House of
Representatives and 37
Senators?

Qulestion: Mr. Lieberman,
implementation legislation to a
treaty regulating international
adoptions has passed both the
H. se and Senate this year. An
amendment was added to the
House-passed version designed
to limit the ability of gay men
and lesbians from adopting
children from countries partici-
pating in the “Hague
Convention.” Would you sup-
port removal of this restrictive
language in the House-Senate
conference committee this fall?

Question: Mr. Cheney,

 

' proponent of lifting the mili- 

Primer

almost two years ago, your
home state of Wyoming was
the site of the murder of
Matthew Shepard, a young
man targeted for being gay.
Congress has yet to act this
year on hate crimes legislation
that would ensure federal pros-
ecution of crimes where state
laws may fall short. Given your
ticket’s strong stand against
crime, what would you do to
see this bill passed? .

Question: Mr. Bush, the
GOP platform this year
declares that a Republican
Department of Justice “will
energetically defend in the

courts” the Defense of
Marriage Act, the anti—gay
marriage bill passed by

Congress in 1996. Since this
“states” rights” law was passed,
Vermont has enacted a civil
union statute for gay and les-
bian couples. What would your
Justice Department do to
reverse this state’s law, which
promotes and provides virtual-
ly equal rights of committed
gay and lesbian couples?
Question: Mr. Gore, you
have boasted of the.fact that
you were an early and vocal

tary ban on gays inside the
Clinton White House, and have
been publicly supportive of
doing so in your campaign.
Were you equally vocal against
the Defense of Marriage Act
signed by the President, and
would you also support its
repeal if elected?

Questions: Mr. Bush, earlier
in this election season, you

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stated there was no need to
change the current “don’t ask;
don’t tell” policy on gays in the
military. Yet the GOP platform
declares, as military policy did
pre-1993, that “homosexuality
is incompatible with military
service.” The current adminis-
tration has expressed concern
for anti—gay harassment and
other reasons why the policy
should be strengthened to pro-
tect rights of gay soldiers.
What would your administra-
tion do on this issue? And fur-
ther, do you believe the daugh-
ter of your running mate
deserves to serve openly and
honorably.to defend our nation
during times of war and times
of peace?

The chances of these ques-
tions being asked of the candi-
dates might be remote, and
straight answers to them even
more so. But the important
point is that the positions on
our issues between the
Republican and Democratic
tickets are as different as night
and day. Vice President Gore
has spoken out forcefully for
equal rights and against the
gnworkability of the current
‘édon’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

V He and Senator Lieberman are

also strong proponents of both

._the Hate Crimes Prevention
‘Act and the Employment Non-

Discrimination Act. Gore said

8 some time ago, “It is time for

all Americans to recognize that
the issues that face gays and
lesbians in this country are not
narrow, special interests, they
are matters of basic human and

 

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take a condom

easure, consider this:

October 2000 | Out in the Mountains |11
= opinion =

civil rights.” At the same time,
we can take nothing for grant-
ed from politicians who proba-
bly want votes more than they
want to deliver to our commu-
nity. '

And clearly, the GOP expo

in Philadelphia in July attempt-_

ed to show a compassionate
face of the party, while their
platform remains in the shad-
ows of progressive thought.
Their refrain is summed up in
their platform: “We do not

believe sexual preference
should be given special legal
protection or standing in law.”
From the early returns,
there’s no contest on which
ticket will work in our interest.
Greg D. Kubiak, author;
activist, and public policy ana-
lyst, writes "In Our Interest"
for several GLBT publications.
The Vice Versa Award winner
can be reached via OITM or by
e-mail GKubiak@a0l. com. V

Re-Elect

Senator ]ean,/lnlzeney
Democratic Candidate for Senate

 

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