Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 16:19:30 -0500
From: HRCFCOMM@aol.com

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PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE

               THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND                    

The Nation's Largest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Political Group   
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To contact the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND, please call us at     
(202)628-4160, fax us at (202) 347-5323 or write to us at PO Box 
1396  Washington, DC  20013.  WE CANNOT RESPOND TO E-MAIL.  
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                                 STATEMENT
                  Daniel Zingale, Public Policy Director
                             January 27, 1995

                 Re:  A Bigoted Remark by Rep. Dick Armey
        During This Morning's Media Briefing in the House Gallery


     In his morning briefing for the news media held in the House
Gallery, Rep. Dick Armey, second-ranking Republican in the U.S.
House of Representatives, referred to a fellow Member of Congress
as a "fag."   This kind of prejudice dishonors the dignity of the
Congress and shows a callous disregard for the responsibilities
that accompany high public office.  This kind of language
encourages anti-gay extremists whose agenda is to dehumanize gay
people and actively promote discrimination.  It is the same
hateful language used by criminals who commit hate crimes, such
as the recent wave of murders of gay men in Armey's home state of
Texas. 
  
     Barney Frank certainly deserves an apology, but so do the
American people.  The Republican leadership promised to stick to
the Contract With America, but statements like this show that
some Republicans have another agenda in mind.  It is an extreme
agenda that seeks to single out gay Americans for discrimination.
American voters have rejected this agenda time and again, and
polls show that voters of all political stripes oppose
discrimination against gay people.   

     The Republican leadership should restore the dignity of the
House and restate its commitment to represent all Americans --
singling no one out for discrimination.  Prejudice and
discrimination have no place in America -- let alone in the halls
of Congress.    

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