LGBT

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: 

“Our campaign is about putting the old barriers and divisions behind us. Too often rather than using our diversity as an asset, we've turned it into a liability. We've done this by slicing and dicing each other into groups based upon race religion gender and sexual orientation and denying rights and privileges to people based on these categorizations. We can no longer afford to do that. Our promise and prosperity in the future depends on leveraging all of our assets, including our diversity, and providing unlimited opportunity for all. “ - Ken Lewis 

I am opposed to discrimination in any form. That includes discrimination against persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered. In addition, I support full and equal legal rights for same-sex couples -- all the same rights afforded married heterosexual couples today. That includes full recognition of the rights of same-sex couples across state lines, and full enforcement of federal benefits for same-sex couples. 

As a lawyer, I feel strongly that upholding the full rights of same-sex couples is simple justice.  I believe governments should fully and fairly enforce the civil rights of all persons, while religious denominations and churches should serve their members as church leaders and members themselves decide. 

We must end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" prohibiting lesbians and gay men from serving openly in the military. I think Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen was right when he testified recently before Congress, "No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." 

Oppose discrimination in the workplace: In the civilian workforce, as in the case of employment discrimination against women I oppose all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Support hate crimes legislation: Hate crimes—criminal acts in which the victim is chosen because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability—are particularly destructive, because their effects go beyond the individual victim and victimize an entire community. If I had been in the US Senate, I would have voted for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act that was signed into law by President Obama in October of 2009. 
 

For more read our responses to a recent online chat with the LGBT community