Subject: NGLTF DENOUNCES LOG CABIN ENDORSEMENT OF DOLE/KEMP
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 23:52:41 -0400

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NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
PRESS RELEASE
contact:   
Robert Bray    415-552-6448,  [email-masked]
Tracey Conaty 202-332-6483, ext. 3303   [email-masked]
pager 1-800-757-6476
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NGLTF DENOUNCES LOG CABIN ENDORSEMENT OF DOLE/KEMP

San Diego, CA, August 15, 1996 .... The following statement, denouncing the
Log Cabin Gay and Lesbian Republican's endorsement of the anti-gay GOP ticket
of Bob Dole and Jack Kemp, is attributable to Melinda Paras, executive
director of NGLTF.

"Although we support the ongoing work of the Log Cabin Gay and Lesbian
Republicans to increase their visibility in the GOP, we strongly disagree
with their endorsement of Bob Dole. A Dole-Kemp ticket is dangerous for
America and dangerous for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Despite attempts to position the ticket and the convention as 'moderate,'
political religious extremist still enjoy a firm command and unprecedented
power in the GOP race for the presidency. Indeed, at every turn, from the
divisive platform that reads like a Patrick Buchanan speech to the behind the
scenes authority of the Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition , the hard
Right continues to play a dominant role in the Republican party.

The Dole-Kemp campaign is a Trojan horse at the gates of American democracy.
When the door of the horse opens, out will come not "moderates" but the
leadership of the hard right, including the Christian Coalition, Focus on the
Family, Council for National Policy, and other powerful hard right groups.
Americans must guard the gate against the
Trojan Horse threat of the Dole/Kemp campaign, not give it the keys to enter.

Dole's record on gay and AIDS issues is mixed at best, and Kemp's is
dangerously far right wing. In his own words, Dole opposed the "special
interest gay agenda that runs from gays in the military and reaches as far as
to suggest special status for sexual orientation under federal civil rights
statutes." Bob Dole and the 1996 GOP Platform believe gays should not be
protected against discrimination on the job. Bob Dole is a lead sponsor of
the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act.

Jack Kemp's record is worse. He opposes gays and lesbians as teachers and
opposed the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Colorado's Amendment
2. Both Kemp and Dole have sided time and time again with arch-conservative,
notorious anti-gay lawmakers Jesse Helms and William Dannemeyer on numerous
hostile amendments, including one to cut off all funding to gay community
health organizations, mandatory HIV
reporting and others. Kemp has made an about face on his more moderate
opinions on affirmative action and immigrations since being named to the
ticket.

The Log Cabin members have made bold inroads in pushing their party, and we
wish them ongoing success. Against all odds, they are attempting to wrestle
control of the GOP away from political religious extremists. However, we
disagree with Log Cabin on what is needed to strengthen our
democracy and ensure equality for all citizens, including women, people of
color, immigrants, the poor and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people. This endorsement is wrong. The Dole-Kemp campaign is a danger to our
struggle for justice."

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is  the oldest national gay and
lesbian group and is a progressive organization that has supported grassroots
organizing and pioneered in national advocacy since 1973.  Since its
inception, NGLTF has been at the forefront of virtually every major
initiative for lesbian and gay rights.  In all its efforts, NGLTF helps to
strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement at the state
level while connecting these activities to a national vision for change.
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