Subject: Democrats' growing partnership with gay and lesbian Americans
From: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 1996 00:25:25 -0500

Democrats' growing partnership with gay and lesbian Americans (1992)

by Ronald H. Brown
Democratic National Chair (1989-1993)

The Democratic Party has always been on the cutting edge of the fight for
expanding rights and inclusion - and it is no different now. The contemporary
gay and lesbian civil rights movement, while only a few decades old, has a
welcome home in the Democratic Party. Our party stands today on the side of
gay and lesbian civil rights - as it has in party platforms for more than a
decade. We seek your support in 1992.

As chairman of the Democratic Party, I know we need to work to show that our
commitment is more than rhetorical. From my own work in the civil-rights
movement, I also know that the fundamental standard by which to judge a
political party is the standard of justice and fairness - not just short-term
political expediency.

But as we head into this election year, I ask all gay and lesbian people to
keep a clear eye on the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Rep.
William Dannemeyer and Sen. Jesse Helms find a home for their hatred in the
other party.

Gay and lesbian rights are anathema to the Republicans - and they use scare
tactics and distortions to divide and frighten our nation. They call gay sons
and lesbian daughters "enemies of the family" - while Republican policies are
what tear families apart. They preach a doctrine of "traditional family
values" in which tolerance, diversity and privacy play no role.

This should surprise no one. For decades, the Republican Party has stood as a
monumental obstacle to achieving civil rights for women, African-Americans
and others. It has peddled the politics of hate in campaign after campaign,
inventing symbols like Willie Horton and welfare queens - ignoring symbols as
powerful and positive as the AIDS quilt.

Democrats who led the civil rights battles of the '60s and '70s found their
leadership smeared and their actions distorted by Republicans trying to play
on fear. Today's leaders in the battle for gay and lesbian civil rights find
the same thing happening all over again. George Bush actively campaigned for
Helms saying he "needed Jesse in the Senate" even as Helms continued his
campaign of bigotry.

For all of their talk about "less government," Republicans are truly the big
regulators when it comes to the most personal and intimate aspects of our
lives. They want government out of the boardroom when it comes to policing
environmental laws, but want it in the bedroom when it comes to sexual
orientation - and choice.

Indeed, Republican opposition to gay and lesbian rights springs from the same
source as their opposition to choice for women. Both are extremely personal
and private issues in which the government should have no say. Yet
Republicans don't take diversity, tolerance or privacy seriously as
"traditional values." They are happy to impose values set by their narrow
leadership on the nation as a whole.

They talk about ending social activism in the judiciary, but then appoint the
most aggressive judiciary in history when it comes to restricting rights and
privacy. Sadly, the most lasting legacy of the Reagan and Bush
administrations may be the 70 percent of all federal judges who have been
appointed by right-wingers since 1980.

The Republicans make no pretense of dealing with health care for all
Americans - much less specific and crucial needs during the AIDS crisis. Bush
will now mention health care in his State of the Union address - but only
because it is campaign season. The bipartisan National Commission on AIDS
chastised Bush for his complete lack of leadership on the issue; he did
nothing in response. Only when Magic Johnson focused the nation's attention
did Bush do anything, and that was only a photo-op briefing where he tried
that traditional Republican remedy for injustice - blaming the victim.

Republicans will increase their negative politics as the year goes on. There
will be more innuendos and smears on the way. These forces of backwardness
will be countered by all of us, but gay and lesbian Democratic leadership
will play a particular and important role. A new generation of gay and
lesbian Democratic leaders - elected and appointed - are taking their place
at the political table. The work of their leadership is already showing.

Democrats in 1992 will support gay rights and lift the archaic Pentagon ban
on lesbians and gay men serving in the armed forces. More than 90 percent of
the cosponsors of gay-rights legislation in Congress are Democrats. Bush has
demonstrated his inability to provide leadership on AIDS and his
unwillingness to stop discrimination in federal hiring. Democrats, including
our presidential candidates, have shown that they grasp the importance of
these issues and have a clear willingness to lead the nation forward.

I urge you to get involved in presidential politics. Run for delegate, find a
way to make your priorities known. Any registered Democrat can run for
delegate to the convention - call your local Democratic organization or club.

Our nation's strength is our diversity - and the Republicans just don't get
it. Our ability to change, to grow, to advance - these are the core values
that have made our nation great. Expanding inclusion has been the watchword -
not limiting access, restricting choice or continuing bigotry.

Civil rights never come without a struggle; progress never comes without
agitation. And in that agitation, friction between friends may arise. But I
can guarantee one thing: As gay and lesbian rights become law and as the
barriers of bias fall away, it will be Democrats - as champions of civil
rights, human rights and social justice - leading the effort.