Pleased, not thrilled.Despite his record on gay issues, activists wonder about Lieberman Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Al Gore's choice as his running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, is a leading cosponsor co·spon·sor tr.v. co·spon·sored, co·spon·sor·ing, co·spon·sors To function in the capacity of a joint sponsor of: corporations that cosponsored a marathon. n. of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act This article documents a proposed statute that is being considered. Information may change rapidly as the bill progresses. , which would ban antigay workplace bias. He has voted for increased AIDS funding and cosponsored the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Human Rights Campaign has given him a perfect rating for the current session of Congress. So why are gay and lesbian activists not exactly turning handsprings over the choice of Lieberman? As a U.S. senator from Connecticut for 12 years, Lieberman has a long (if low-profile) history of support for gay rights but with enough exceptions to make activists wonder if he is as committed to gay causes as Gore is. "Senator Lieberman's record is one that bears studying and watching," says National Gay and Lesbian Task Force The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) is a nonprofit organization that supports grassroots organizing and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. Founded in 1973, NGLTF works to strengthen the gay and lesbian movement at the state and local levels while executive director Elizabeth Toledo. "He has a generally strong record on issues important to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. At the same time, Lieberman, like Clinton and like Gore, has not always proven to be a friend of the progressive community when we needed him." Lieberman has cast votes in favor of prohibiting HIV-positive immigrants from entering the United States and against a measure to grant domestic-partner benefits to District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). employees. Perhaps more troubling for activists is Lieberman's connection to some vocal opponents of gay rights. An Orthodox Jew and the Senate's leading moralist mor·al·ist n. 1. A teacher or student of morals and moral problems. 2. One who follows a system of moral principles. 3. One who is unduly concerned with the morals of others. , Lieberman has joined with former Education secretary William Bennett to criticize trashy talk shows. He is also cochairman of the Center for Jewish and Christian Values, a largely conservative group (its advisory board includes onetime Christian Coalition Christian Coalition, organization founded to advance the agenda of political and social conservatives, mostly comprised of evangelical Protestant Republicans, and to preserve what it deems traditional American values. head Ralph Reed and former Family Research Council leader Gary Bauer) trying to build a more moral society--a premise that has in the past been used to attack gay rights. Boosters of the Gore-Lieberman ticket counter that by any standard the Democrats are way ahead of their Republican rivals. Lieberman's record "reflects a growing understanding of our issues," says Winnie Stachelberg, HRC's political director. As for any lingering concerns--look for Lieberman to address them on the stump campaigning for public office; running for election to office. See also: Stump this fall. |
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