The (Democratic) Presidential Candidates Talk LGBT Issues

Tonight was truly historic for the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) community. The Human Rights Campaign and the Logo network just wrapped up a live forum (watch it!) in which all major presidential candidates were invited to talk to panelists (not debate) issues of concern to the LGBT community. Unfortunately, no Republican candidate agreed to appear. However, most of the Democratic candidates did. Some did better than others, some were more comfortable with the topic than others, but it happened. Sure there is argument over how fast things move for folks in the LGBT community. It's a struggle, first for legal rights, and in the longer term, for the hearts and minds of human beings. As a former civil rights investigator for the Arizona Attorney General's Office, I can tell you that the laws are in place to protect people from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Okay, well, people are not protected on the basis of their sexual identity, but on race, national origin, sex, disability status, etc. That does not mean that everybody's hearts and minds are in the right place, even 40 years after the civil rights movement. Otherwise, I would not have had a job. I have seen people blatantly (and lots more far more subtly) discriminated against on the basis of their sex, race, or disability status. I saw far more people in that job calling in who had lost their jobs because of their sexual orientation. It happens. And under Arizona and federal law, there is nothing that we could do to stop it. So we need to change laws first. And simultaneously, we need to prepare for the longer struggle to change people's hearts and minds.

Now for my thoughts on the debate. Mind you, as a disclaimer, I am still an undecided voter, although I intend to vote in the AZ Democratic presidential primary. I did not see the beginning. I missed Senators Edwards and Obama, although I saw clips. It did not sound like Senator Edwards scored too many points, but perhaps held his own. Senator Obama, from the clips I saw, appeared to "get it." I then saw the complete interviews with Congressman Kucinich and Senator Gravel, both of whom were very supportive of the community, and talked about spreading love and all that sixties hippy stuff. Then I saw Bill Richardson, a candidate I have previously considered supporting, since he has one of the best resumes, and his record on LGBT issues tends to be pretty progressive, although I disagree with him on a host of other issues. Governor Richardson stubbed his toe tonight. No, perhaps he hit a brick wall. And he knew it. He fumbled around like a politician to try not to say the wrong thing, and offered as much support as he politically felt he could. But he uttered that homosexuality is a choice, which is not the way so many of us feel. I think of the candidates I saw fully, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton did the best. I have concerns about the possibility of 28 unbroken years of Presidents named Bush and Clinton. But I've been warming to her lately. I think she not only has the background to step into the job on day 1, but I think she's smart, in touch, and can hold her own in a debate. I've seen her evolve, as much of America has, in the past 15 years. She was able to openly disagree with Melissa Etheridge, one of the panelists, yet still show compassion and understanding for her and where she comes from. And it didn't come across as political posturing. It came across as compassionate yet realistic. And having those kinds of qualities, while putting aside some of the poisonous partisanship that divides us as Americans, would be a real asset in a President. And while Senator Clinton openly said she wouldn't agree with everybody in the room on everything, she would be a true friend of the LGBT community. She seemed the least uncomfortable of all the candidates, and the most natural, surrounded by such an audience.

Thank you for indulging my late night, madly musings. I have promised to try being concise in this blog, but this is an issue of importance to me, as those of you who know me can understand. But at least this isn't a "wonky" issue, where I am talking insider baseball. This is a value issue, and it's an issue America is being forced to confront, a population that has always been a part of our country, making incredible contributions, that America is finally having to acknowledge. And I thank God that we are moving the right direction on this issue, and I ask God for the patience to get us the rest of the way to the top of this mountain.