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Wow!!! 32 Years Before Marriage Equality, Bernie Sanders Fought For Gay Rights
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But these are only very recent developments. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton may be champions of same-sex marriage now, but you don’t have to go far back to find a time when they weren’t. And hey, we’re happy to have their evolved support.
Not only did Sanders vote against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 which defined marriage as between one man and one woman, signed into law by then-president Bill Clinton — an unpopular position then — a look back at Sanders’ political career shows consistent support of the gay rights movement. Even when it was more than just unpopular, it was downright controversial.
“In our democratic society, it is the responsibility of government to safeguard civil liberties and civil rights — especially the freedom of speech and expression,” Sanders wrote later in a memo. “In a free society, we must all be committed to the mutual respect of each others [sic] lifestyle.”
snip---
“It is my very strong view that a society which proclaims human freedom as its goal, as the United States does, must work unceasingly to end discrimination against all people. I am happy to say that this past year, in Burlington, we have made some important progress by adopting an ordinance which prohibits discrimination in housing. This law will give legal protection not only to welfare recipients, and families with children, the elderly and the handicapped — but to the gay community as well.”
http://www.queerty.com/32-years-before-marriage-equality-bernie-sanders-fought-for-gay-rights-20150719
But these are only very recent developments. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton may be champions of same-sex marriage now, but you don’t have to go far back to find a time when they weren’t. And hey, we’re happy to have their evolved support.
Not only did Sanders vote against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 which defined marriage as between one man and one woman, signed into law by then-president Bill Clinton — an unpopular position then — a look back at Sanders’ political career shows consistent support of the gay rights movement. Even when it was more than just unpopular, it was downright controversial.
“In our democratic society, it is the responsibility of government to safeguard civil liberties and civil rights — especially the freedom of speech and expression,” Sanders wrote later in a memo. “In a free society, we must all be committed to the mutual respect of each others [sic] lifestyle.”
snip---
“It is my very strong view that a society which proclaims human freedom as its goal, as the United States does, must work unceasingly to end discrimination against all people. I am happy to say that this past year, in Burlington, we have made some important progress by adopting an ordinance which prohibits discrimination in housing. This law will give legal protection not only to welfare recipients, and families with children, the elderly and the handicapped — but to the gay community as well.”
http://www.queerty.com/32-years-before-marriage-equality-bernie-sanders-fought-for-gay-rights-20150719
Proud to be an LGBT Sandernista!
31 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Bernie never had to evolve on human rights.
Thank you so much for posting this!
It will be a crying shame for the African American community if Bernie does not win the nomination
Unfortunately people all too often vote against their own best interests, because they are misled by propagandists with a bad agenda, and this often has tragic consequences.
If Bernie becomes President, all members of the LGBT community will quickly become full on equal citizens under the law.
Proud to be an aging hippie in solidarity with all of my fellow Sandernistas
Snorted out loud.
You're being bad.
Carry on.
The parade was a success, but not long after, Burlington resident Maikel Carder was beaten up on Church St. on the suspicion that he was gay. It didn’t matter that he was actually straight — the two events became linked.
“As morals keep slipping, will we eventually celebrate Murderer’s Day, Rapist’s Day, Alcoholic’s Day, Dope Day, Arsonist’s Day and Child Molester’s Day, or will a greater power give us The Day of Reckoning? Stand up, you weirdos, and give your brains an airing,” read one of the more colorful responses.
But Sanders was unfazed. The following year he signed a resolution recommending that all levels of government support gay rights, and the year after that in 1985 (the same year then-president Reagan finally said the word ‘AIDS’ in public), he wrote:
“It is my very strong view that a society which proclaims human freedom as its goal, as the United States does, must work unceasingly to end discrimination against all people. I am happy to say that this past year, in Burlington, we have made some important progress by adopting an ordinance which prohibits discrimination in housing. This law will give legal protection not only to welfare recipients, and families with children, the elderly and the handicapped — but to the gay community as well.”
http://www.queerty.com/32-years-before-marriage-equality-bernie-sanders-fought-for-gay-rights-20150719
“As morals keep slipping, will we eventually celebrate Murderer’s Day, Rapist’s Day, Alcoholic’s Day, Dope Day, Arsonist’s Day and Child Molester’s Day, or will a greater power give us The Day of Reckoning? Stand up, you weirdos, and give your brains an airing,” read one of the more colorful responses.
But Sanders was unfazed. The following year he signed a resolution recommending that all levels of government support gay rights, and the year after that in 1985 (the same year then-president Reagan finally said the word ‘AIDS’ in public), he wrote:
“It is my very strong view that a society which proclaims human freedom as its goal, as the United States does, must work unceasingly to end discrimination against all people. I am happy to say that this past year, in Burlington, we have made some important progress by adopting an ordinance which prohibits discrimination in housing. This law will give legal protection not only to welfare recipients, and families with children, the elderly and the handicapped — but to the gay community as well.”
http://www.queerty.com/32-years-before-marriage-equality-bernie-sanders-fought-for-gay-rights-20150719
Where have I heard that before...
Someone is FEELIN THE BERN!
You're up!
