Out in the Mountains

From the Editor:

The ENDApthe road for Jeffords?

Fred Kuhr

WINOOSKI -- Take a moment and think
back to a really difficult test you had to
take in college or high school, maybe
geometry or history. The subject was
never your forte, and you had no plans to
become an historian or geometrist
anyway, so you crammed and crammed
hoping for a passing grade. Let’s say you
received a 78%. In theory, this meant that
you knew and understood 78% of the
material. This was good enough to pass
the test, but probably not good enough to
keep Mom and Dad from asking why you
only received a C in the course.

Take another moment and imagine
yourself a US. Senator. Imagine that
your vote, along with your ninety—nine
colleagues, helps to shape the direction of
the nation. Pretty impressive. And a lot of
people must have voted for you in order
to have gotten elected. You must be
pretty popular. Oooh, nice office too!
And look at all those people and groups
giving you money to spend on your next
campaign. Must be nice.

But you must remember the down side.
An awful lot of responsibility comes with
the job. For example, let’s say you were
voting on whether or not a particular
group of Americans deserves basic civil
rights. And after all the votes were said
and done, your grade was a 78%. This
means, in theory, that this group of
Americans deserves only 78% of basic
civil rights. Sony, you failed.

The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force,
based in Washington, D.C., handed out
grades following the 103rd Congress as a
record of each senator’s and

representative's pro—gay votes. And guess
what Republican Senator James Jeffords
received — 78%.

I understand that things could be worse.
Some of Jeffords’ colleagues received
grades of 0%. (Wouldn’t they be fun at a
party!) Jeffords’ votes are especially
good compared to other Republicans,
who tend to be less pro-gay than
Democrats.

Back in June, Jeffords made a move that
excited many people in Vermont’s
lesbian and gay community — he became
an original co—sponsor of the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act,
known acronymously as ENDA. If
passed, ENDA would prohibit
employment discrimination on, the basis
of sexual orientation all across the
country.

“Like all other Americans, gays and
lesbians deserve to be judged at work on
the basis of their ability to do the job,”
Jeffords wrote recently. “The principles
of equality and opportunity,” he
continued, “should apply to all
Americans without regard to their sexual
orientation.” Then where are the bills and
laws protecting the rights of lesbians and
gays to housing, military service,
education, credit, public
accommodations, adoption, domestic
partnership and marriage? Jeffords has
failed in his past twenty years as Senator
to sponsor gay rights legislation. Now he
sponsors ENDA and we waive the
rainbow flag.

Could this election be the end of the road
for Jeffords? 78% is far from ideal. Now
it is up to us. V

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