You know, for the life of me, I have been reading these postings for days, and I still can't understand the furor over Governor Richardson's remarks at last week's HRC/LOGO forum. I am about as liberal as a person gets, and for me the concept is simple...everyone was created equal, and endowed by their creator with inalienable rights...that should be it. Settled law , baby.
And I personally think that the marriage issue is a separation of church and state one. My feeling is what is doable politically right now is to make civil unions legal between all loving couples, with all the rights and obligations of marriage. Leave it up to the churches, synagogues, temples and mosques to sanction "marriage." Eventually we'll get there as a society, but we're not there yet. Soon (not soon enough for me), but not yet.
I have to ask this question though, and I know it isn't going to be easy for many of you to answer, it wasn't for me. Do we want a candidate who simply says whatever the audience of the day wants to hear? There's a difference between campaigning and governing. It's easy for a lot of the other candidates, especially those who are far back in the polls, to appear at these events. For Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel -- all they need to do is to talk the talk.
But as a sitting Governor, Bill Richardson is in a position to do more – and he actually walks the walk. He has always supported the LGBT community, often to his own political disadvantage here in New Mexico, a traditionally very socially conservative state. He took on the legislature, demanding a domestic partnership act, and when they adjourned without passing one, he called them back for a special session. In fact, see below...
- Expanded anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation. [Senate Bill SB 28, 2003 Legislature]
- Signed into law the state's first hate crimes legislation for acts including those based on sexual orientation. [SB 38, 2003 Legislature]
- Provided state health insurance for domestic partnerships. [Executive Order 03 010]
- Signed the Billy Griego HIV and AIDS Act, which was designed to ensure that consumers are the focus of the funding and services provided in all the state's HIV and AIDS cases. [Senate Bill 314, 2005 Legislature]
- Created the state's first HIV and AIDS Policy Commission charged with reviewing and making recommendations on state HIV and AIDS policies. The commission also studies and makes recommendations on all factors affecting the availability, quality and accessibility of health services for persons with HIV and AIDS. [Senate Bill 313, 2005 Legislature]
- Called a Special Session of the NM State Legislature to push for Domestic Partnerships Legislation, among other issues, after it failed by one vote in the Senate during the Regular Session. Governor Richardson has pledged to push for the legislation again during the next Legislative Session.
My friends, I believe actions speak louder than words. Yeah, its a cliche, but there is a reason why cliches are repeated, they are true.
In follow up to last week's forum, Richardson has said this...
"Let me be clear -- I do not believe that sexual orientation or gender identity happen by choice," Governor Richardson said. "But I'm not a scientist, and the point I was trying to make is that no matter how it happens, we are all equal and should be treated that way under the law. That is what I believe, that is what I have spent my career fighting for. I ask that people look at my record and my actions and they will see I have been a true supporter of the LGBT community."
Of course, I believe in Bill Richardson. He has always staunchly defended the GLBT community, throughout his long career of public service.
And he is still the best candidate for president. He is right about Iraq. He is right about Darfur. He is right about No Child Left Behind. He is right about energy. He is right about Iran. He is right about the environment. And yes, friends, he is even right about LGBT issues. Does it really matter how he came to be right on these issues?