This week, we are fortunate to have a special guest, HANK GILBERT, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Texas.
Learn more about Hank, particularly his bold policy statement on GLBT Issues, after the jump:
I am liberaldemdave and I am supporting Hank Gilbert for Texas Governor.
First, however, he has to win the Democratic nomination. Of the likely candidates, it is my personal belief that Hank is the right person for the job based on his qualifications.
Hank announces his candidacy for Governer on 9/20 in Tyler, Texas
Hank is a rare breed of politician in this day and age. He’s one of the few people in politics (that I know personally) that will tell you what he really believes, not what he thinks an audience wants him to believe. That’s why, when he released a nine-page GLBT Policy statement, I knew then and there, that my support would be unyielding.
Announcing the GLBT Policy Statement
You can read the full Policy Statement by clicking:
http://hankgilbert.com/...
The full policy statement can be downloaded by clicking:
(***warning*** .pdf file)
http://hankgilbert.com/...
I won’t quote extensively from the policy, as that simply doesn’t do justice to the breadth, depth and thoughtfulness that Hank has put into this position. However, the opening paragraphs, laying out the two prime reasons for the policy statement are worthy of inclusion in this diary (emphasis added):
Number one, it is what I believe. I was raised in a home where discrimination had no place. I was raised to treat all people equally. For me, knowing that discrimination exists in Texas and doing nothing about it goes against everything I stand for. It also makes all those who remain silent passive participants in discrimination.
The office of governor is, among other things, a position from which to lead the state toward innovations in public policy which will lead to a better future for all Texans. For someone to seek that office—let alone attain it—and stay quiet on an issue they strongly believe in, because it is perceived as controversial or untimely, is unconscionable.
Number two, this is what is right for Texas. The issue of equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals is the new civil rights battle of the 21st century. When it came to the civil rights battles of the last two centuries involving African Americans and Latinos, Texas came to sit at the table of equality very late.
Let me be very clear; Hank is not one to say this type of thing and not believe, from the bottom of his heart, that it is right, just and TRUE. He will not be another "fierce advocate" who tells the GLBT community one thing to garner votes and then act differently in office. Unlike the national political environment, there is far greater risk for Hank, politically, to take this position than to remain silent!
How do I come to such strong convictions and belief that Hank is the right choice (not only for GLBT Texans but ALL Texans)? Hank and I went to public school together in a very racially diverse county in East Texas in the late ‘70’s. Although we weren’t good friends then (he was involved in Future Farmers of America and I was a "theatre rat"...our paths didn’t have very many occasions to cross back then), I got to know him much better when he ran for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in 2006. I was proud to serve as his volunteer Coordinator for Austin County. It was then, that I knew that Hank was destined for a great political career, especially if he retained his grassroots and populist convictions...he truly is a "man of the people, for the people".
This policy statement, although it isn’t perfect, is the FIRST GLBT POLICY STATEMENT EVER RELEASED by a candidate for state-wide office in the state of Texas. My only personal reservation is that Hank stops short of endorsing full marriage-equality, in favor of full civil unions for GLBT persons that would provide every available right and responsible of marriage. To be frank, even going this far is as brave as ANY politician in Texas can be and still have a snowball’s chance in Hades of being taken seriously. It’s brave, even though statewide, the numbers in support of legalized GLBT relationships closely mirrors national numbers:
From Hank Gilbert for Governor Fact Sheet on GLBT Issues:
http://hankgilbert.com/...
Most Texans Support Either Civil Unions Or Same Sex Marriage. According to the 2009 Texas Lyceum Poll, 32 percent of Texans support civil unions and another 25 percent of Texans believe same-sex marriage should be permitted. Overall, 57 percent of Texans favor either civil unions or same-sex marriage in Texas. [SOURCE: 2009 Texas Lyceum Poll]
Hank is also in front of the political curve when it comes to support for the Transgender community:
Violent Crime Targeting Transgender Individuals Common In Texas. From 1970 to 2004, Texas ranked third in the nation for the murder of transgender individuals. [SOURCE: Equality Texas]
In 2006, although he fell short of the mark, Hank received MORE TOTAL VOTES than ANY OTHER STATE-WIDE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE. He did that by not just focusing on Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio but he paid attention and campaigned heavily in Tulia, New Ulm, Kilgore and Temple. My support grew even more steeled, when after a disappointing defeat, he remained engaged. After the election, instead of going back to quietly live his life as an East Texas Cattleman, Hank instead became involved in the grassroots fight to stop the Trans Texas Corridor (the Governor Perry-proposed toll road from the Mexican border all the way to the northern border of Texas, along the I-35 corridor).
Hank Gilbert in Bellville, Texas at a Trans Texas Corridor Town Hall Meeting:
The other likely candidates for the Democratic nomination both have flaws that I simply cannot overlook. In brief:
Kinky Friedman. Need I say more? He wasn’t taken seriously as a candidate in the last election, nor did he take his candidacy seriously.
Tom Schieffer poses bigger problems for me. If his name rings a bell for you, it might be because he was one of the co-owners, with George W. Bush (yes, that George W. Bush), of MLB’s Texas Rangers. Not only do GW and Scheiffer have a long professional attachment, they are also long-time friends. By the time Bush was elected Governor of Texas, Schieffer was widely considered a political ally and supporter. As thanks for his support, although he had no international diplomacy experience, Bush rewarded him by making him the Ambassador to Australia. Schieffer then served as Ambassador to Japan in the second Bush term.
According to Schieffer’s wikipedia profile:
Schieffer became one of only three non-career appointees to serve in both the first and second terms of the Bush administration as an Ambassador. On April 1, 2005 Schieffer was sworn in as the twenty-second Ambassador of the United States to Japan, having been confirmed by the United States Senate unanimously for the second time.
Most troubling, is this oft-repeated quote from Schieffer: that he "voted for George Bush every time he ran for office." (source: Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com/...
No other candidate running for Governor of Texas has a more comprehensive list of Issue-Oriented Position Statements To learn where Hank stands on the issues, please visit: http://hankgilbert.com/...
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I am refinish69 and I have been active in politics and civil rights since I was 8 years old and I am now 51. I moved to Texas in 2003 and have been heavily involved in working to turn Texas Blue. I am a Gay, Liberal Democrat and have not been bashful about asking any candidate or elected official about their stance on hot button issues. I am proud to say that there is one candidate running for Governor in Texas who answered my questions before I even had a chance to ask them.
Hank Gilbert has released a comprehensive policy on GLBT issues. As the first statewide candidate in Texas to ever do this, Hank is not just out to get the GLBT vote in Texas. This is a core value that Hank believes deeply in because he believes that All Texans should be treated fairly. Hank could have taken the easy road any only answered questions as he was asked them on the campaign trail but he does not play it safe when it comes to his beliefs. Hank is a candidate who says what he believes and then takes questions.
Hank Gilbert embodies the True Texas Spirit. He stands behind his beliefs and makes no apologies for his stance on issues. He explains his beliefs and why he thinks they will be good for Texas and all Texans. He has released policy statements on various issues and I am sure will be releasing more. Hank stops short of endorsing marriage for gays and lesbians in Texas but his policy is the most extensive and fair policy I have seen from any candidate running for office. Hank is taking the lead on civil rights and deserves the full support of the progressive as well as GLBT community for his candidacy for Texas Governor. I have already publicly endorsed Hank as my Candidate last week in a diary but am more than happy to do so again.
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Follow Hank on your favorite social media outlets:
On Twitter:
@Hank4Texas
Facebook, main support page:
Facebook, stand with Hank on GLBT Issues by joining this group:
http://www.facebook.com/...
Finally, nobody gets elected without OUR financial support. You can contribute to Hank Gilbert for Governor by clicking the following links:
Online Contributions:
Donate Via Act Blue:
Contribute Via Snail Mail:
To sign up for campaign updates, click here:
To volunteer or to host an event, click here:
Finally, I had to include what was (for me) the highlight of the 2006 Texas Democratic Party Convention, 2006:
WE'VE MADE THE REC LIST, FOLKS! KEEP IT UP!!! Now, who wants to go match my (liberaldemdave) $50 donation???