Tampa Bay Coalition
Posts this in Support and on Behalf of;
National Gay & Lesbian
Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Faults Bush's 'Sinner'
Comment, Push for Additional Marriage Ban
WASHINGTON - The National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) today criticized President Bush's
characterization of gay people as "sinners" and his call for another federal law
banning same-sex marriage.
"While we respect President Bush's religious
views, it is unbecoming of the President of the United States to characterize
same-sex couples as 'sinners,'" said Matt Foreman, Task Force executive
director. "It's also sad that, at a moment in history that cries out for
leadership and moral courage, President Bush has instead opted for the divisive,
anti-gay politics of the past." The U.S. Congress passed, and President Clinton
signed, a measure seeking to ban federal recognition of same-sex marriage in
1996.
"Bush and his advisors must be desperate," Foreman continued,
noting a July 18-20 Gallup poll showing Bush nearly tied with a Democratic
challenger in his reelection bid, 46-42%. "They have taken weeks to come up with
the idea of proposing legislation that was passed into law in 1996. He's
obviously desperate to keep the country's focus off the war in Iraq and the
dismal state of the economy, and he's willing to do it on the backs of gay men
and lesbians, even if it means proposing legislation that already exists as
law."
The so-called 1996 "Defense of Marriage Act" is a constitutionally
tenuous piece of legislation allowing states to opt out of recognizing any
same-sex marriages performed in other states, and making same-sex couples
ineligible for any of the 1,049 federal benefits conferred on married
heterosexual couples. Courts in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Indiana are
currently considering whether to overturn the prohibitions on same-sex marriage
in those states.
Bush made his comments in a Rose Garden press conference
today. His full quote was: "I am mindful that we're all sinners and I caution
those who may try to take a speck out of their neighbor's eye when they got a
log in their own. I think it is important for our society to respect each
individual, to welcome those with good hearts. On the other hand, that does not
mean that someone like me needs to compromise on the issue of
marriage."
-Know Thy Enemy: Marriage Backlash Quotes Released
-Task Force Compilation Exposes Those Who Would Deny LGBT
Equality
"This is a 9/11, major wake-up call that the enemy is at
our doorsteps. This will redirect the stream of what is morally right and what
is morally wrong into a deviant kind of behavior. There is no way that
homosexuality can be seen other than a social disorder."
- Rev. Louis P.
Sheldon, Traditional Family Coalition
Today the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force released the first in a series of reports exposing the vitriolic
reactions of those who would deny lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
people equal rights under the law.
"Know Thy Enemy: Quotes about the
Sodomy Ruling and the Same-Sex Marriage Backlash," compiles quotes by everyone
from Jerry Falwell to George W. Bush to Rick Santorum and will be updated online
on a regular basis.
"We had no doubts that if the sodomy ruling came down
in favor of equal rights that the anti-gay extremists would blast our community
with propaganda and mistruths aimed at scaring otherwise fair-minded people into
believing that legalizing discrimination is okay," said National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force Executive Director Matt Foreman. "What we didn't expect was how
hateful and out of touch with most people, some of their comments would
be."
Polls conducted in the last few months, for example, show majorities
in Massachusetts and Hudson County, New Jersey support same-sex marriage. And a
poll by Peter D. Hart Research Associates found that the anti-gay Federal
Marriage Amendment (which would amend the United States Constitution to
recognize marriage as between one man and one woman) was opposed by majorities
or pluralities of several important electoral groups, including women, voters
under age 35, college graduates, voters residing in large or medium sized
cities, and suburban voters. Additionally, pluralities or majorities of voters
in three of the country's four demographic regions-the Northeast (43% favor, 50%
oppose), Midwest (46%, 49%), and West (41%, 56%)-oppose amending the
Constitution in this way.
Foreman added, "The Task Force is committed to
not only exposing these anti-gay extremists for what they are, but as our 30
year history of creating positive social change will show, we will fight every
step of the way to ensure that those who seek to discriminate against our
community will not succeed."
To access "Know Thy Enemy," log on to the
Task Force publications library [http://www.ngltf.org/library].
NOTE:
The Federal Marriage Amendment (HJ Resolution 56) was introduced by Rep. Marilyn
Musgrave (R-CO) with original co-sponsors Rep. David Vitter, (R-LA), Rep. Collin
Peterson, (R-MN), Rep. Mike McIntyre, (D-NC), Rep. Ralph Hall, (D-TX), and Rep.
JoAnn Davis (R-VA). The Task Force urges all fair-minded people to call their
elected representatives to register their opposition to the Federal Marriage
Amendment. If you do not know who your representative is, log on to the House
Web site.
According to her official Web site, Congresswoman Marilyn
Musgrave encourages the people in Colorado's Fourth Congressional District to
take a moment to write her and share their comments: 1208 Longworth HOB,
Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-4676 or Fax: 202-225-5870. Also, for those
outside of her district who wish to write Rep. Musgrave, you may send an email
to: rep.musgrave@mail.house.gov. Please be
sure to include your full name, address, telephone number and email
address.
***************************************************************
The Task Force has been at the forefront of the debate on same-sex
marriage. Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is the oldest
national organization working to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice
against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and
national level. The Task Force trains activists and leaders and organizes
broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-gay referenda and advance pro-GLBT
legislation. The Task Force Policy Institute, the community's premiere think
tank, researches and reports on critical policy issues. As part of a broader
social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, the Task Force is
creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression
and identity where all people may fully participate in society.
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