Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 18:25:34 -0400 From: Song Weaver Subject: Fwd: LOG CABIN BLASTS ANTI-MARRIAGE BILL (fwd) From: EricBauman Eric Bauman, (818) 780-4590 fax (818) 786-6981 President Stonewall Democratic Club Co-Chair National Network of Lesbian and Gay Democratic Clubs and Organizations Today, Republican presidential candidate Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole revealed his true stance on lesbian and gay issues, becoming the first U.S. Senator to embrace and sponsor the recently introduced Federal anti same-gender marriage bill, known as the Defense of Marriage Act. Dole's previous rejection of the $1000 Log Cabin contribution has been variously explained away as miscommunication, the fault of his staff, and just plain poor judgement, but his announcement today that he would sponsor the bill is clear statement. While Bill Clinton sponsors ENDA, Dole sponsors the Defense of Marriage act. Dole is continuing to pander to the right-wing religious extremists who control the Republican party. Despite Log Cabin Republican's spin control stating that President Clinton is opposed same-gender marriage and trying to equate that with Dole's stance, the choice is ever-more apparent that lesbians and gays have only one friend seeking the White House...Bill Clinton. While Republicans are introducing hateful, divisive, extremist, anti-gay legislation in the Congress, Bill Clinton continues to stand up for our community. Clinton said he would work to secure reversal of the Dornan amendment after Republicans passed it, and he did. He is the only President in the history of our country to support Federal anti-discrimination laws protecting lesbians and gays in the workplace (ENDA). He is the only President to appoint over 100 openly gay people to his Administration, including two who required Senate confirmation, and the only President ever to appoint an openly gay person to the Federal juciciary. He is also the first President to make a real committment to the war on AIDS, including fully funding Ryan-white, and a massive commitment of resources to AIDS prevention, education, and research. Stonewall President Eric Bauman Said "Gay men and Lesbians should realize today that the November elections are about two distinctly different visions of America:Bill Clinton's which openly includes and embraces Lesbians and Gays or Bob Dole's which turns its back on us and attacks us at every opportunity. No amount of glib tongued spin control by Rich Taffel and the Log Cabin machine can change reality. Every gay Republican should re-register as a Democrat and send a copy of the registration with a note to Dole, Gingrich, and RNC chair Haley Barbour. Any talk of the Republican party repudiating its 1992-style campaign of hate is nothing but wishful thinking." Stonewall Democratic Club is California's oldest and largest Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club. The National Network of Lesbian and Gay Democratic Clubs and Organizations is a recently formed confederation of the more than 90 gay Democratic groups around the Nation.