Election 08:
Clinton vows to fight
for 'gay rights,'
including
marriage-like benefits
By Michael Foust,
from the Web, April 8, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Apr 7 --
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told a Philadelphia homosexual
newspaper she would work to advance "gay rights" as president, including
possibly signing into law a bill that would grant same-sex couples the legal
benefits of marriage.
The senator from New York also called a proposed Pennsylvania constitutional
marriage amendment "mean-spirited" and said she hopes it is defeated.
Clinton granted the interview to the Philadelphia Gay News just weeks prior to
the April 22 Democratic primary, a must-win for her campaign. Her
opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, did not grant the newspaper an interview, although
he has made his support of homosexual causes clear in recent weeks, including
issuing an open letter to the homosexual community pledging to use the "bully
pulpit" to pass legislation backed by that constituency.
Because of the interview snub, the newspaper's headline read, "Clinton talks;
Obama balks."
The newspaper asked Clinton if she would support "federal domestic-partner
legislation to give rights to all LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender]
citizens." The question was posed in light of the fact Clinton was
co-sponsor of a bill, the Domestic-Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act, that
would grant federal employees the legal benefits that heterosexual married
spouses have.
"Of course," she answered. "But I think the reason why I have zeroed in on
the Obligations Act is because that's what's in the province of the federal
government and I think we might be able to get that passed. But I would
certainly sign anything that was broader too."
She said she has been "committed for more than nine years" to eliminating the
military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that prevents homosexuals from serving
openly. On another subject, she promised to work to overhaul federal tax
laws so that same-sex couples –- especially those in states with "gay marriage"
and civil unions laws -- can file jointly on their federal returns.
"That's one of the laws we have to change," she said. "I will have a
comprehensive review, and I think a lot of that work has already been done, to
look at everything that is discriminatory in the tax code or in any other aspect
of federal law. And we will try to eliminate all of that discrimination. I
think we will have a good argument, ironically, because I think we can say,
look, the states are making determinations about extending rights to same-sex
couples in various forms and the federal government should recognize that and
should extend the same access to federal benefits across the board. I will
very much work to achieve that."
Clinton also urged the Pennsylvania legislature to defeat a marriage amendment
that would prohibit both "gay marriage" and Vermont-style civil unions.
The proposal has passed the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee and would
appear on the ballot no earlier than 2009 or 2010.
"Don't pass it," she said. "I really hope that that doesn't go anywhere.
I would be very distressed if Pennsylvania were to adopt that kind of
mean-spirited referendum and I hope it won't happen."
Pennsylvania is seeking to do what a majority of states already have done:
protect the natural, traditional definition of marriage in their state
constitution.
Obama's February letter to the homosexual community made most of the same
promises that Clinton did in her interview, including pledging to work to repeal
Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He also said he would pressure states to pass "gay
rights" laws.
"As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex
couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws," he wrote.
"I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that
equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not
stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue
equality for gay and lesbian couples -- whether that means a domestic
partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage."
But unlike Clinton, Obama backs the "complete repeal" of the Defense of Marriage
Act (DOMA), a law passed in 1996 that gives states the option of not recognizing
another state's "gay marriages." It also prohibits the federal government
from recognizing "gay marriage." Homosexual activists long have viewed it
as a significant legal barrier to nationwide legalization of "gay marriage."
"While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get
rid of that statute altogether," he wrote. "Federal law should not
discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what
DOMA does."
Austin Nimocks, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal organization
that supports the Defense of Marriage Act, said overturning DOMA "would lead to
the recognition of everything the homosexual agenda stands for, including
same-sex marriage."
Clinton supports repealing the section of DOMA that prohibits the federal
government from recognizing "gay marriage." She would keep in place the
section that gives states latitude on the issue.
Michael Foust is an assistant editor for Baptist Press.
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