You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
The Human Rights Campaign confirmed with Kristen Gillibran's staff additional points regarding her LGBT record:
Supports marriage equality
Cosponsored and voted in favor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Cosponsored inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and supports enactment of inclusive bill
Voted in favor of ENDA
Supports repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Supports repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act
Supports equal tax treatment of employer provided domestic partnership benefits
Voted against allowing discrimination in hiring for the Head Start program
Voted in favor of allowing Washington, DC to fund needle exchange programs with local fund
Supports the Early Treatment of HIV/AIDS Act (ETHA) to allow states to provide Medicaid coverage for HIV-positive persons
Voted against procedural attempts to derail ENDA and hate crimes
Endorsed by HRC PAC in 2008
Well, this is very exciting news. I am glad to live in a state where we have enlightened representatives in DC.
16 Comments:
Wayne, either she's had a change of heart to get this job or she's a phoney. She was previously on record stating that she did not believe in removing DOMA or DADT and also was against marriage equality. She is also an opponent of gun-control receiving a grade A from the NRA.
According to Queerty..."She is a poor friend to the gay community. She has the lowest HRC LGBT rights score of any New York State Democratic legislator: when she was asked to support a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, she refused; when she was asked to support extending employer health care coverage to domestic partners, she refused; when she was asked to extend naturalization benefits to domestic partners, she refused; when she was asked to extend Medicaid to cover low-income HIV-positive Americans, she refused.This would be a deplorable record any time, but Paterson's now sent the single-worst Democrat in New York on gay and lesbian rights to the Senate in place of Hillary Clinton."
I don't like this choice. The only reason that the governor chose her was because he wants the approval of upstate voters when he runs for re-election. Paterson ignored the needs of the millions of citizens of this state and appointed someone based only on (1) the fact that it will help his election chances and (2) her gender. I wanted someone with heft, like Andrew Cuomo, who has broader experience and would, like Chuck Schumer, have enough experience to know to bring home the bacon to New York.
As for gun rights, the right to own a firearm is guaranteed in the Constitution, so that doesn't bother me. And if she is good on gay rights, that's great, but we need someone who will serve ALL the citizens of this state, gay or not. I don't see this candidate as having the experience that would "entitle" her to a New York Senate seat, but maybe she will surprise us and turn out to be a good choice. But as of now, it is a transparent pick by Governor Paterson, who has sold out the State for his own personal re-election ambitions. He is so pathetic.
posted by Chris L., at
1/23/2009 12:44 PM
Chris, my choice too would have been for Andrew Cuomo. I only hope if Paterson is not elected in two years, that Cuomo will run and do a great job that his father did as governor.
I wouldn't want anyone of the Schumer ilk either.....he's against marriage equality.
As for the right to own a firearm, I see no point why its relevant or why we need such a right in the 21st century. We no longer have a militia (the reason that law was enacted in the 18th century)and we're not exactly fighting a war on our own soil, so why the necessity? If I had my way, I'd ban firearms altogether. Its been proved that societies that have easy access to guns have the highest crime rate with guns. We're one of the most violent western society, why enable it and are we not that civilized to require them?
posted by Anonymous, at
1/23/2009 1:27 PM
I think people should have a right to own a firearm because it is a constitutional guarantee. Those guarantees can only be overturned by amendment, not a changing of the times. While we don't have militias anymore, it is still good for the citizenry to be armed as a firewall against a tyranical government. However, reasonable gun control is also constitutional, and that's a good thing too. Instant background checks, bans on owning assault rifles, etc., are worthwhile.
I tend to think that criminals ignore gun laws anyway, so it's a mixed bag. If I lived in a house in Montana, for example, with no neighbors for a mile or two, I would want a loaded gun on my nightstand. And if I were walking down the street one late night in Manhattan and a gay basher came at me with a knife, I'd like to have a handgun at my disposal so that I could blow his head off. We can agree to disagree though, no big deal. :)
posted by Chris L., at
1/23/2009 1:51 PM
During midterms (2010), whichever administration is in office usually loses some of its seats to the opposition. With Gillibrand's lack of experience and relatively unknown throughout the state, this leaves the door wide open for GOPers such as Peter King, Rick Lazio and George Pataki to come in and yank it from under her. Paterson is gambling on upstate voters. Personally, I think he made a huge blunder. Had he chosen Cuomo, republicans would have a hard time running against him.
posted by Anonymous, at
1/26/2009 1:04 PM
Robert, you may be right. The more I learn, the more uncomfortable I get with her record.
posted by Wayne Besen, at
1/26/2009 1:17 PM
Wayne, yep! I'm convinced her selection is all to do with political expediency for both Paterson and herself. How can someone like her all of a sudden issue a statement that indicated she was for marriage equality when up until now she's been dead set against it? Peoplee just don't change like that. I'm extremely uncomfortable with her selection. By her declaration on "equality," isn't she alienating the very base that Paterson hopes to capture? Makes absolutely no sense. I smell a rat.
posted by Anonymous, at
1/26/2009 2:44 PM
