Candidates for marriage: only three major Democratic candidates for president support full marriage rights for same-sex couples: Dennis Kucinich, Carole Moseley Braun, and Al Sharpton. So why don't more gay voters support them?When are some people's equal rights less equal than others'? Judging by the race for the Democratic nomination for president, equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans--for which all nine candidates express some level of support--don't usually include access to civil matrimony MATRIMONY. See Marriage. . In fact, only three candidates back equal marriage rights, and they are the three with the least money and the least support in national polls: Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich  This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election.Content may change as the election approaches. , former U.S. senator from Illinois and former ambassador to New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. Carol Moseley Braun Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun (born August 16, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first, and to date, the only, African American woman elected to the United States Senate. ; and activist minister Al Sharpton Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American Baptist minister and political, civil rights, and social justice activist.[1][2] In 2004, Sharpton was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U. S. presidential election. from New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . The chicken-mid-egg question in this race is, Can tong-shot candidates garner more support from gay voters by supporting full equality? Or do they trail in the race in part because voters fear they will be unable to win broader support? The candidates themselves explain their support for same-sex marriage Noun 1. same-sex marriage - two people of the same sex who live together as a family; "the legal status of same-sex marriages has been hotly debated" couple, twosome, duet, duo - a pair who associate with one another; "the engaged couple"; "an inseparable in moral rather than political terms. "1 simply see it as a civil rights issue," Kucinich tells The Advocate [see facing page]. "It's important for all couples who want to marry to have access to the advantages that the legal status of marriage provides, which includes over 1,000 legal benefits. And couples should not be denied those benefits simply because they happen to be of the same sex." "I support full marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples because I support full civil rights for gays and lesbians," Moseley Braun says in a telephone interview from the campaign trail [see page 34]. "Marriage is a civil rights issue. It is fundamental for the individual to choose his or her relationship. And to make a distinction that some Americans can choose their relationships and others can't is antithetical an·ti·thet·i·cal also an·ti·thet·ic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or marked by antithesis. 2. Being in diametrical opposition. See Synonyms at opposite. to the fundamental ideals of our Constitution." Sharpton, whose campaign declined to set up an interview with The Advocate, went even further during a debate in Iowa in November. "Are we prepared to say that gays and lesbians are less than human? If we're not prepared to say that, then how do we say that they should not have the same human rights and human choices as anyone else?" Sharpton said in response to a question from moderator moderator - A person, or small group of people, who manages a moderated mailing list or Usenet newsgroup. Moderators are responsible for determining which email submissions are passed on to the list or newsgroup. Tom Brokaw Thomas John Brokaw (born February 6, 1940 in Webster, South Dakota) is a popular American television journalist, Previously working on regularly scheduled news documentaries for the NBC television network, and is the former NBC News anchorman and managing editor of the program . "Even if you have a disagreement with it ... you cannot limit the humanity of others unless you're prepared to say they are less than human." The debate isn't just about equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans, Kucinich argues. It's also about what the Democratic Party should be seen to represent. "I think it's important for Democrats to be fearless about this issue. Either we agree that each person who enters into a marriage ought to have the full protection of law, or we don't. And if we do agree, then we ought to take a stand. This is where Democrats make a big mistake, because failing to take a stand is saying that we don't believe what we are saying." Moseley Braun equates gay equality with racial equality by pointing out that it wasn't that long ago that interracial marriages Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing races marry. This is a form of exogamy (marrying outside of one's social group) and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation (mixing of different races in marriage, cohabitation, or sexual relations). were illegal. "I have made the analogy analogy, in biology, the similarities in function, but differences in evolutionary origin, of body structures in different organisms. For example, the wing of a bird is analogous to the wing of an insect, since both are used for flight. over time between same-sex marriage and interracial marriage," she says. "I had an aunt who was married in the 1950s to a German fellow, and their marriage was illegal in half the states in this country. The rhetoric around interracial marriage ... is the same used against same-sex marriage today." Despite the passion of these three candidates' rhetoric, however, election observers don't see a significant portion of the gay vote swinging in their direction. "There is a large pragmatic streak in the gay community," says Hastings Wyman, writer of Capital Letters, a weekly political column syndicated to many gay and lesbian publications around the country. Wyman contends that since all nine candidates support, some form of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples, most gay and lesbian Democrats are going to look instead for the candidate they view as best able to beat George W. Bush in November. Dave Noble, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats The National Stonewall Democrats is an LGBT-rights group in the United States with seat in Washington, D.C., affiliated with the Democratic Party. The word "Stonewall" refers to the 1969 Stonewall riots. , agrees that gay primary voters are not likely to pick a candidate based on whether the candidate supports marriage rights over civil unions. "LGBT LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democrats want a candidate who can win, but also a candidate who can turn this country around," Noble says, arguing that the nomination will be won on issues of jobs, the economy, and America's role in the world--not on questions of gay equality. Perhaps reflecting the attitude of many gay Democrats, Noble essentially dismisses the distinction between full marriage rights and a separate system of civil unions. "I hate that so much attention is being paid to the nuance nu·ance n. 1. A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a gradation. 2. Expression or appreciation of subtle shades of meaning, feeling, or tone: of language," he says. The fact that all nine candidates support some legal recognition of same-sex relationships same-sex relationship n → gleichgeschlechtliche Beziehung f is "historic," Noble adds. "Whether a candidate supports marriage or civil unions, the most important thing for me as a gay voter VOTER. One entitled to a vote; an elector. is finding a candidate that supports moving in the direction of equality in a rapid way." Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the national gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, says she is "disappointed that some of the candidates do not support full marriage equality." But she points out that all the Democratic candidates have staked out supportive positions on a range of issues of interest to gay and lesbian Americans. And how does a candidate's giving or withholding Withholding Any tax that is taken directly out of an individual's wages or other income before he or she receives the funds. Notes: In other words, these funds are "withheld" from your wages. support for equal access to marriage affect his or her chance to beat President Bush? "The far right has said that same-sex marriage will be the issue of the 2004 campaign," Stachelberg says, "but polls show that gay and lesbian issues rank at the bottom of issues that Americans care most about." Patrick Guerriero Patrick Guerriero is an American politician. A gay Republican, Guerriero was the executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) from January 1, 2003 to September 1, 2006. , executive director of Log Cabin Republicans The Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) is a federated gay and lesbian political organization in the United States with state chapters and a national office in Washington, D.C. The group consists of gays and lesbians who are supporters of the Republican Party. , a national gay political group, argues that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans will want to bring up the issue during the general campaign. "Both sides see it as a Pandora's box Pandora’s box contained all evils; opened up, evils escape to afflict world. [Rom. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 799] See : Evil ," he says. The Democratic nominee nominee n. 1) a person or entity who is requested or named to act for another, such as an agent or trustee. 2) a potential successor to another's rights under a contract. will likely avoid the topic of same-sex marriage during the general campaign for fear of alienating al·ien·ate tr.v. al·ien·at·ed, al·ien·at·ing, al·ien·ates 1. To cause to become unfriendly or hostile; estrange: alienate a friend; alienate potential supporters by taking extreme positions. some moderate voters, Guerriero says, and "Bush is not comfortable talking about these issues." Indeed, like some of the Democrats--who unequivocally reject equal marriage rights but adamantly ad·a·mant adj. Impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason; stubbornly unyielding. See Synonyms at inflexible. n. 1. A stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness. 2. An extremely hard substance. support some same-sex partnership rights--the president seems to want to have it two ways at once, to judge by his December 16 interview on ABC's Primetime Live with Diane Sawyer  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . . On the one hand, Bush appeared to come out in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor a proposed amendment that would impose a constitutional ban on not just same-sex marriage but, implicitly, any marriage-like arrangement not "between a man and a woman." Then, in the next sentence, he said states should be allowed to accord rights to couples as they see fit--yet immediately backtracked with a caveat: "Unless judicial rulings undermine the sanctity of marriage, in which case we may need a constitution amendment." Kucinich, Moseley Braun, and Sharpton are the exceptions, supporting equality for same-sex couples A same-sex couple is a pair of people of the same gender who pursue a romantic or sexual relationship together. The term "same-sex relationship" may be used when the sexual orientation of participants in a same-sex relationship is not known. without limitations. But it's less imperative for the Democratic underdogs to split hairs on the marriage question, Wyman says, because they "do not have much at stake [and] have nothing to lose." Even so, Wyman says, the three candidates are playing "an important role" in the race. "They are giving voice to the concerns of many in the Democratic Party and may help influence many in the mainstream." Added Stachelberg: "They add a richness and texture to the Democratic Party and raise the issue of why marriage equality is so important."
RATING THE DEMS
The nine major Democratic candidates' positions on a range of gay
issues
FEDERAL
EQUAL MARRIAGE MARRIAGE
RIGHTS AMENDMENT (1)
CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN Supports full Opposes
marriage rights for
same-sex couples
WESLEY CLARK Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
states' rights to
make their own laws
for same-sex couples
HOWARD DEAN Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
states' rights to
make their nwn laws
for same sex couples
JOHN EDWARDS Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
providing certain
basic benefits
to same-sex
domestic partners
RICHARD GEPHARDT Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
states' rights to
make their own laws
for same-sex couples
JOHN KERRY Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
civil unions
DENNIS KUCINICH Support full Opposes
marriage rights for
same-sex couples
JOSEPH LIBERMAN Opposes marriage Opposes
equality; supports
states' rights to
make their own laws
for same-sex couples
AL SHARPTON Support full Opposes
marriage rights for
same-sex couples
EMPLOYMENT
DEFENSE OF NON-DISCRI-
MARRIAGE MINATION
ACT (2) ACT (3)
CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN As a senator, Supports
voted against
DOMA in 1996
WESLEY CLARK Opposes Supports
HOWARD DEAN Says DOMA is Supports
unconstitutional
and should
be repealed
JOHN EDWARDS Did not respond Supports
by press time;
was not in
Congress
when DOMA
was enacted
RICHARD GEPHARDT Voted for DOMA Supports
in 1996
as Democratic
leader in the House
of Representatives
JOHN KERRY Voted against Supports
DOMA as a
senator in 1996
DENNIS KUCINICH Opposes Supports
JOSEPH LIBERMAN Voted for Supports; was one of
DOMA as a only three cosponsors
senator in 1996 of the original
Employment
Non-Discrimination
Act in 1996
AL SHARPTON Did not respond by Supports
press time but
supports full
marriage rights for
same-sex couples
MILITARY POLICY
HATE-CRIMES ON OPENLY GAY
LEGISLATION (4) SOLDIERS
CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation the military's "don't
enhancing penalties ask, don't tell" policy
for crimes based on to allow gay men
sexual orientation and lesbians to
and gender identity serve openly
WESLEY CLARK Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
HOWARD DEAN Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual as orientation
and gender identity
JOHN EDWARDS Supports hate- Wants to "revisit"
crimes legislation the "don't ask,
enhancing penalties don't tell" policy
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
RICHARD GEPHARDT Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
JOHN KERRY Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
DENNIS KUCINICH Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
JOSEPH LIBERMAN Supports hate- Supports a repeal;
crimes legislation in 1993 voted in the
enhancing penalties Senate to authorize
for crimes based on President Clinton
sexual orientation to determine policy
and gender identity regarding gays
in the military
AL SHARPTON Supports hate- Supports a repeal of
crimes legislation "don't ask, don't tell"
enhancing penalties
for crimes based on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
EQUAL ADOPTION
RIGHTS
CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN Supports
WESLEY CLARK Supports
HOWARD DEAN Supports
JOHN EDWARDS Supports
RICHARD GEPHARDT Supports
JOHN KERRY Supports
DENNIS KUCINICH Supports
JOSEPH LIBERMAN Supports
AL SHARPTON Supports
RELATED ARTICLE: Q & A: Dennis Kucinich. Dennis Kucinich is not your typical Democratic presidential candidate. A U.S. congressman from Cleveland, he is cochair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is the single largest partisan caucus in the United States House of Representatives, and works together to advance progressive issues and causes. and a vegan vegan /veg·an/ (ve´gan) (vej´an) a vegetarian whose diet excludes all food of animal origin. ve·gan n. . He supports pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, repealing the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. and withdrawing from the World Trade Organization, creating a cabinet-level Department of Peace--and full access to marriage for same-sex couples. In a telephone interview, Kucinich explained why he feels equal marriage rights is such an important issue for the Democratic Party. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American politician and physician from the U.S. state of Vermont, and currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, the central organ of the Democratic Party at the national level. signed his state's civil union bill into law and is getting support from some gay and lesbian voters because of it. How do you convince those voters to support you instead? I don't think any civil rights issue should be left to the states to decide. Civil rights are fights that extend from sea to shining sea, and we ought not create a situation where couples are forced to move from state to state in order to have full protection of the law. But isn't marriage a state issue? States have the right to determine certain rules [regarding marriage]. But as our society has evolved, it has become very clear that the status of marriage confers a whole range of protections. It's imperative that stone-sex couples not be excluded from equal protection of the law equal protection of the law n. the right of all persons to have the same access to the law and courts, and to be treated equally by the law and courts, both in procedures and in the substance of the law. . So we cannot leave this issue simply for states to decide. It's very clear that there will be some states that will decide to usurp u·surp v. u·surped, u·surp·ing, u·surps v.tr. 1. To seize and hold (the power or rights of another, for example) by force and without legal authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. 2. the rights of same-sex couples. We've already seen that in states enacting their own "defense of marriage" acts, limiting marriage to heterosexual heterosexual /het·ero·sex·u·al/ (-sek´shoo-al) 1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or directed toward the opposite sex. 2. one who is sexually attracted to persons of the opposite sex. couples only. Which is exactly why it's important for the Democratic nominee to take a clear and unambiguous stand in defense of civil rights for gays. And it isn't only about this issue. This relates to the full range of civil rights issues that are out there. We have to remember that the progress of America has always come when we have affirmed af·firm v. af·firmed, af·firm·ing, af·firms v.tr. 1. To declare positively or firmly; maintain to be true. 2. To support or uphold the validity of; confirm. v.intr. the civil rights of various groups of people. You bring up the issue of same-sex marriage even when you're not asked directly about it. Are you worried that will alienate To voluntarily convey or transfer title to real property by gift, disposition by will or the laws of Descent and Distribution, or by sale. For example, a seller may alienate property by transferring to a buyer a parcel of the seller's land containing a house, in more conservative voters or will help tag the Democratic Party as too liberal? The real question is, What does our party stand for? Either we stand for civil rights for all or we don't. If we are fearful, where does that fear lead us? To continuing the occupation of Iraq when we should get out? To letting private health insurance companies control health care in America? Having utility monopolies name their price for energy and get it? Why have this wimpy Wimpy sloppily dressed comic strip character; always “forgets” to pay for hamburgers. [Comics: “Popeye” in Horn, 657–658] See : Irresponsibility approach to governance? Either we are ready to take a stand or we are not. I led the effort in the House of Representatives to challenge the Bush administration's march to war in Iraq. I've been a leader in so many different areas, and when you are a leader, you lead. And people are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. leadership on this. I think the American people An American people may be:
RELATED ARTICLE: Q & A: Carol Moseley Braun. Out on the campaign trail, Carol Moseley Braun, former U.S. senator front Illinois and former ambassador to New Zealand, often makes the point that being both female and African-American, she has a deeply personal understanding of civil rights issues, including gay and lesbian rights The goal of full legal and social equality for gay men and lesbians sought by the gay movement in the United States and other Western countries. The term gay originally derived from slang, but it has gained wide acceptance in recent years, and many people who are , that her political opponents cannot match. In fact, her stump speech Noun 1. stump speech - political oratory oratory - addressing an audience formally (usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous); "he loved the sound of his own oratory" typically includes an applause line arguing that as the only woman and one of only two African-Americans in the Democratic primary race, she is the clearest alternative to George W. Bush. In a telephone interview, Moseley Braun explained why her affinity for civil rights has led her to support equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. So many politicians are squeamish squea·mish adj. 1. a. Easily nauseated or sickened. b. Nauseated. 2. Easily shocked or disgusted. 3. Excessively fastidious or scrupulous. on the issue of same-sex marriage. What led you to your position? Frankly, I just see this issue as one of fundamental rights of individual citizens. And anyone who says they support marriage ought to support same-sex marriage because of the stabilizing stabilizing, v to hold a limb motionless in order to ground its energy; a standard isometric resistance technique, it releases tension and lengthens muscle fibers. role that marriage plays in society. How do you respond to those who say they support gay and lesbian equality, but not for marriage? I don't respond to them. They have to be accountable to the voters, and the voters have to make their own decisions about what is important to them. It doesn't pay for me to take on any of the other candidates on this issue, because the real issue is [Bush adviser] Karl Rove The external links in this article or section may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies. . He and others who would pass a constitutional amendment to
prohibit pro·hib·it tr.v. pro·hib·it·ed, pro·hib·it·ing, pro·hib·its 1. To forbid by authority: Smoking is prohibited in most theaters. See Synonyms at forbid. 2. same-sex marriage are the ones stirring this issue up and are the ones who want to divide Americans in destructive ways. Some observers have claimed that you have the luxury of supporting same-sex marriage rights since polls show you have very little chance of winning the nomination. I think that's just cynical and foolish. In 1996, when I was one of the few in Congress to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act, I was not running for president. So this issue is not new for me. If you are elected president and have to work with the same kind of Congress as exists right now, how do you expect to get your positions passed into law? I was a legislator LEGISLATOR. One who makes laws. 2. In order to make good laws, it is necessary to understand those which are in force; the legislator ought therefore, to be thoroughly imbued with a knowledge of the laws of his country, their advantages and defects; to for many years--first in Springfield, Ill., as a state legislator [1979-1987] and then as a U.S. senator [1993-1999]. I have a substantive record that I am very proud of because I recognize that you have to work with those without regard to political party when it comes to dealing with the public interest. And the only way you can advance the public interest is to achieve consensus. I have every expectation that if Democratic voters decide that they want me as their standard-bearer, I will implement an agenda that will serve the interests of the people in ways that make sense to members of Congress, and it would be an agenda that Americans would be proud of.--Fred Kuhr Kuhr is editor of the Boston-based In Newsweekly news·week·ly n. pl. news·week·lies A weekly newsmagazine or newspaper that reports current events. . |
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