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Three Laws to Protect Americans from Sexual Discrimination
Everyday, children in this country are bullied because a fellow student doesn't like that they may be gay. Too often these bullying tactics -- including several already this year -- result in suicide and the sad loss of life of a completely innocent victim.
In addition to biased-generated bullying done in our schools and playgrounds, too many children and adults are victims of serious hate crimes. They are beaten and brutalized not just because they are gay, but because of the color of their skin or their gender. With no law to prosecute violence based on bias, the federal government is limited in what it can do to punish these horrible perpetrators.
And everyday, hundreds of thousands of American workers are afraid to be themselves, to be proud of who they are in the workplace because they know their God-given natural sexuality could cause dismissal, demotion or other workplace discrimination.
For years, politicians in Congress have given us excuses. To the children who are being hurt or the workers who are afraid to show up to do the job they were hired to do, they can't afford your excuses anymore.
Nor can I.
There are three critically important pieces of legislation that should pass Congress and move to the president's desk immediately. You were elected on a promise to help people -- to make a difference in people's lives. Because discrimination is unacceptable, you should move forward now to pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act, the National Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
The children and workers in this country need you to protect them on the playground and in the workplace -- to allow them to live their lives without fear of getting physically or emotionally hurt -- to allow them to make a living and pay taxes like any other American worker.
With strong Democratic Majorities in the House and Senate, the three proposed laws I've mentioned above should be passed easily -- before one more life is lost, before one more hard-working American unjustly loses his or her job.
And one more thing, you won't have done a complete job if you leave out transgendered Americans. They are people too who deserve all the same rights and protections afforded to any other American.
No more excuses. Get these laws passed now and show us that you are willing to fight for these very people who so desperately need your help.
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Dear Steve–
I thought you might appreciate knowing about a new refugee advocacy organization with a focus on LGBTs launched last month: ORAM – Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration.
ORAM’s mission is to advocate for refugees fleeing sexual or gender based violence. Only through raising consciousness of LGBT refugee issues to governments, refugee organizations, communities and the media, will help come to these individuals, who are among the most persecuted people in the world today.
Details of our work and mission appear in the press release below. Whether your concern is LGBT rights, refugee rights or both, we invite you to learn more about us by visiting www.oraminternational.org.
Regards,
Scott Piro, Communications Director
ORAM - Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration
Tel: +1 415 373-5299|Fax: + 1 415 373 9191| www.oraminternational.org
Hi Steve,
Nice to see you up there, in a high-ranking post, advising the President. Why bother with legislation at all? If you will just make sure Obama says "gay" and "transgender" every once in awhile, that would be great. I can't ask for more than that. If he would look all sympathetic and doe-eyed when he makes a little gay-friendly speech, that would be even better.
But please, don't worry yourselves with DOMA, or DODT - I don't know why all those mean, demanding, grabby gays keep going on about those weird acronyms. Just say nice things about us. That's all we need, and I'm sure that's all Obama really meant when he promised so much more, you remember, back when he needed our votes.
And you keep on keeping it real, Steve! Wow, you're a very important gay man! Don't worry 'bout the rest of us, hon. Just keep kissing the ring. We know you mean well.
Steve - wake up to what your community wants and say it with me:
Executvie Stop Loss to DADT then REPEAL - no more dismissed! No DOMA NOW - not next year like your Democratic hacks suffering from political homophobia are saying.
Repeal of DOMA.
ENDA and Hate Crimes are important - so do them ALL!
Interesting what you chose to omit.
Actually, I don't see a problem with sexual discrimination these days, nor with skin color discrimination. What I DO see, however, is discrimination against new college graduates and people who are over 45.
Mr., Hildebrand, I notice that you put all of the responsibility for passage of the above laws on Congress. What is this administration going to do to get those laws passed, besides more speeches telling the community what it is going to do? And why aren't DADT and DOMA among your priorities? Enough of this BS. Not another penny or vote goes to this president or this party until he takes some real action on our community's behalf.
In case you are not aware, Congress is the legislative branch they create laws, and the President signs them. Some people need to re-take civics. DOMA and DADT are laws congress is the only branch that can re-peal them.
And in case YOU are not aware, the President hasn't even defined his agenda in precise terms. There is no sense of urgency or importance to any LGBT issues. He has not addressed the nation on these issues, he has not demanded action from Congress, he's just blown us off.
Congress does need to act on these measures. However, the President sets the domestic agenda and he is hiding behind the "I'm waiting for Congress to act" position.
It took two days (?) to ge the Lily Leadbetter act out of committee and on the President's desk because he made it a priority on his domestic agenda.
Have the President state--on a nationally broadcast, for the record, and with a timeline--that he wants movement on these pieces of legislation (as well as DADT and the repeal of DOMA). Then I will believe it is Congress' fault. Until then, they have cover because the President has not made it a priortiy on his domestic agenda.
You've got to be kidding me!
Yes, these issues are important, but they are not the issues which President Obama said he would address on behalf of the LGBTQ community (e.g., DADT, DOMA).
Yes, I also understand that President Obama has enormous amount to do. That is why I'm tired of hearing that our community is trying to "get to the front of the line."
If the President had not offered the DOJ brief - and, more unfortunately failed to apologize for it - I would still be "waiting my turn." However, this President is exactly who I thought he would be - a politically expedient guy (look at his "present votes" in IL - which they media seemed to busy in their adoration to examine).
I do wish this President well. I do continue to support his agenda, overall. However, like others, the DNC and other Democratic candidates will not be seeing a "gay dime" out of me until I hear an apology for the DOMA brief and see this President exercise "hope and change" by speaking honestly and openly to our community about our agenda - the same one he used to win this election.
Your words, Steve: "before one more hard-working American unjustly loses his or her job."
DADT? Do you understand the word "irony?"
Why no mention of Don't Ask, Don't Tell? 69% of the public, including a majority of conservatives and a majority of Republicans, support allowing openly gay people to serve in the military. It shouldn't be hard for Congress to get this done, or for the President to get the ball rolling with a stop-loss order. Is this editorial a sign that the Administration intends to push DADT repeal down the road (possibly a long way down the road)?
Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a threat to our national security. We are losing Arabic linguists, highly experienced fighter pilots, and other mission-critical troops. We need action on this now.
I will not vote for President Obama in 2012 if he has not kept his promise to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. I urge other gay and lesbian voters, and their straight allies, to make the same pledge.
Done!
Me too.
I'm sorry, Mr. Hildebrand, but someone in the White House is using you to betray your community and give cover to the President who lied to all of us about what he would do as President. I'm not gay, but I AM a fierce advocate for gay rights and equal marriage. It makes me sick to my stomach when I think of all the fights I got in, and the friends I lost, by supporting Obama over my hometown Senator (whose Senate campaign I worked on - twice!), Hillary Clinton. Hillary actually IS a fierce advocate for gay rights and I'm sure she would have the moral courage to stand by her promises to the gay community. it's 2009, and gay marriage is coming, people! You've got 60 Senators, a majority in the house, a HUGE mandate, a landslide election and the President can't pull off a repeal of DADT? Are you kidding me?! This is a human rights issue, it's a civil rights issue, and to have a President, a black man no less, shutting the door on a huge part of our population - betraying all of us who strive for the moral courage to overcome all kinds of discrimination - well, it's simply the most disheartened I've ever been by a politician. When Obama falls to the right of Dick Cheney, Ted Olsen.... it's a travesty.
Mr. Hildebrand, you should be ashamed for letting yourself be whored out like this to appease the crowd. I'm sad for
Blah. Blah. Blah.
DOMA?! DADT?!
We elected a fraud.
It's not the first time!! The Democratic Party honchos know they can buy the support of Queers cheap. "Why is that?" you ask?
You needn't look further than the recent event at the White House....an event that should have seen anger, outrage, and demands for proof of Mr. Obama's 'fierce advocacy' on our behalf coming from those in the Community who claim to represent us. Instead, we heard respectful applause and extravagant a**-kissing.
True, some attendees did speak up for us (the representative of the LGBT Task Force, for example); but non-confrontation seemed the norm for those in attendance (HRC can be counted on to cozy up to any candidate or officeholder who deigns to give them the time of day).
Bill Clinton set the standard for bullshi**ing the LGBTQ community. It worked, but our only reward was DADT and DOMA. Why should Obama tinker with a proven formula? Give 'em the old razzle-dazzle and "our leaders" will deliver every vote they can squeeze out of our easily placated community.
Let's stop 'asking' what time it is; and TELL Obama and his ilk that the time is NOW. No action...no votes! In spite of what the Dems sell us every four years (what our 'connected' leaders continue to buy), we DO have somewhere else to go with our votes...corporate parties are NOT the only game in town.
Equality is equality. we need to end this tactic of separating it out like this in order to create this cottage industry of gay advocacy groups. Take the issue of the table once and for all and pass an omnibus gay rights bill that makes us equal in every aspect of civil law. Done.
The issue was taken to the congress table once and for all. 86% of Congress voted to define marriage as between a man and a woman. That is over a 5 to 1 majority.
The issue was taken to the President who signed it into Federal law.
The issue was taken to California voters not once but twice. Both times marriage was defined as between a man and a woman.
The issue was taken to Federal courts and they upheld DOMA.
You are equal in every aspect of the law. In California any unmarried man is free to marry any unmarried woman. No man may marry a man. No woman may marry a woman. You want a privilage that no one else has. You want the special privilage of being able to marry someone of the same gender. That is not an equal right. It is a special privilage for a small group.
Everyday thousands more kids are bullied for being obese or small or weak or pimpled or for having a funny accent than are bullied because they are gay. The problem is bullying, not the excuse given for bullying.
"They are people too who deserve all the same rights and protections afforded to any other American." Correct. They do deserve the same protection: but do they deserve extra, special protection not given to other Americans?
Let's face it folks, President Fierce Advocate and Congress are just too busy with two wars, the economy, and health care to deal with kids and queers being bullied. I'm sure that by the end of the Obama administration, we'll be happy with the progress they've made on the issue.
The president disagrees with you. He blames people like you for not pressuring him more for not moving on these actions. Read his speech at the WH on Stonewall anniversary. You will see I am right.
Sorry Cindy, but I agree COMPLETELY with AnotherTry. Obama came right out and said that the reason why they're not pushing harder on gay rights is because of a "generational gap" and that too many Americans still haven't jumped on board.
Well I'm not waiting for my grandparents' generation to die off. I will be demanding my equal rights NOW!
To whom is this addressed? At times I thought it was to President Obama but then I thought it might be Congress. Or is it both?
Well, I guess the question is, does the president lead the party or not? Answer that and I'll tell you who this is geared toward.
The President does lead the party. It's just that he doesn't want anyone to realize that there are a TON of Democrats in the House and Senate that are lagging on gay rights BIG time. If he were to really push them on these issues, we'd see how many don't really support us.
But doing that would mean potentially losings seats in Congress in 2010 and Obama can't have that! So we get screwed as per usual.
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