Posted on 08/21/2006 6:38:56 AM PDT by Dane
John Nichols: Giuliani downplays support for gays By John Nichols, Aug. 20, 2006
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be campaigning in Wisconsin for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green this week. Most Wisconsinites will not see Giuliani, as his appearance in Milwaukee will focus on raising money rather than engaging in a dialogue with the state's voters. In fact, to get close to the mayor who became something of a national icon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on his city, Wisconsinites will need to pay the Green campaign a $1,000 fee - er, campaign contribution.
But Giuliani's isolation from the voters should not prevent him from speaking up on one of the most pressing issues facing Wisconsin this fall: the question of whether to amend the constitution to explicitly permit discrimination against the state's gay and lesbian couples and families.
Giuliani knows more than most politicians about the struggle to end discrimination against gays and lesbians. In fact, he's been more of a champion for gay rights than most politicians, be they Democrats or Republicans.
When he mounted successful campaigns for mayor of New York in the 1990s, Giuliani sought and received support from that city's large gay and lesbian community. And the faith of the voters was rewarded by the mayor.
After he left office, Business Week described Giuliani as having served as "a liberal New York City mayor who has championed gay rights and marched in gay rights parades."
That was certainly accurate. During his mayoral tenure, Giuliani successfully pressured the City Council to approve legislation providing broad protection for same-sex partners. He established a domestic partnership program that extended benefits to gay and lesbian couples. He appointed gays and lesbians to top positions in his administration. And he maintained close and public friendships with gays and lesbians - in fact, when the mayor was getting divorced in 2000, he moved out of the official residence and into the apartment of gay friends.
Giuliani's clear and consistent record of support for gay rights as mayor identifies him as precisely the sort of Republican who could pull the party out of the swamp of anti-gay bigotry into which it has degenerated. Unfortunately, instead of pulling the party up, it is Giuliani who is getting pulled down into the embrace of cruel and needless discrimination.
In an attempt to improve his prospects as a 2008 presidential candidate, Giuliani has tried to downplay his support of gay rights. He hopes this will allow him to appeal to the religious-right conservatives who dominate the party's nominating process. It won't work. Giuliani will never win the trust of the anti-gay crowd, let alone the anti-abortion crowd, which is well aware of the former mayor's support for freedom of choice.
For Giuliani, the question is whether he wants to remain true to what he has long believed - that gays and lesbians should not suffer discrimination - or whether he is a hypocrite. In Wisconsin this week, the former mayor has a chance to do the right thing by joining responsible Republicans such as former Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus and state Rep. Gregg Underheim in urging a "no" vote on the discrimination amendment.
The question will be is if Guiliani will run to the right during the primaries.
Does he have a choice? He has to take more moderate positions on abortion, gay rights and gun control to have any chance at the GOP nomination. The question is will the GOP fall for it.
The bottom line is that any politician, whether he be right or left, plays to his political base. When Guiliani supported gay rights, gun control, and abortion while Mayor of NY, he was telling the liberal voters what they wanted to hear. It's difficult to say what he'd do if he were President, but you can bet that in the campaign, he'll swing to the right.
Lets see, he is pro gay, pro abortion, and anti gun. I guess I will no be supporting him.
Agreed.
And they elected him twice as mayor of NYC, in which to his credit he got NYC out of the true crime ridden hellhole it was, but still the liberals hate him.
JMHO, Rudy should go the right and stay there on social issues. He won't get the true lefty liberal NE vote(although in the privacy of the voting booth, his cleaning up NYC will be remembered and rewarded by some).
He isn't just pro gay. He is a prominent supporter of this gay club. Here is the member list:
http://www.stonewallvets.org/prominentsupporters.htm
STONEWALL Veterans' Association
Prominent S.V.A. Supporters
Public Officials * Organizations * Businesses and Others
Public Officials (Former and Current)
New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch
U.S. Congressmember Bella S. Abzug (died 31 March 1998)
U.S. Senator Daniel P. Moynihan (died 26 March 2003)
Judge Karen S. Burstein
U.S.A. President William J. Clinton
Councilmember Miriam Friedlander
N.Y.S. Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer
Councilmember Antonio M. Pagan
N.Y.C. Mayor John V. Lindsay (died 20 December 2000)
N.Y.S. Senator F. Manfred Ohrenstein
U.S. Congressmember Carolyn. B. Maloney
N.Y.S. Governor Hugh L. Carey
Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields
N.Y.S. Senator Roy M. Goodman
U.S. Congressmember Geraldine A. Ferraro
Councilmember Sal F. Albanese
U.S. Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato
City Council President Carol A. Bellamy
N.Y.C. Council Speaker Alan Gifford Miller
U.S. Congressmember William S. Green (died 15 October 2002)
N.Y.S. Senator Catherine M. Abate
Bronx Borough President Fernando F. Ferrer
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Scott M. Stringer
N.Y.S. Commissioner James L. Larocca
America's Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
N.Y.S. Senator Olga A. Mendez
District Leader Aubrey L. Lees
N.Y.C. Councilmember Charles A. Millard
State Committeemember Carl A. Manzano
N.Y.S. Attorney General G. Oliver Koppell
N.Y.C. Councilmember Margarita L. Lopez
Nassau County Executive Thomas S. Gulotta
N.Y.S. Lieutenant Governor Betsy P. McCaughey
Councilmember Stanley M. Michaels
U.S. Congressmember Charles B. Rangel
N.Y.S. Commissioner Sandra L. Frankel
U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine
N.Y.S. Senator Eric T. Schneiderman
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hines
City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone, Sr.
U.S. Congressmember Nita M. Lowey
Councilmember Kathryn E. Freed
U.S. Congressmember Edolphus E. Towns
Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi
Community Boardmember Thomas G. Lunke
Councilmember W. Bill Perkins
Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau
N.Y.S. Parks Commissioner Bernadette A. Castro
N.Y.S. Counsel Evan A. Davis
Community Boardmember Liz J. Abzug
N.Y.C. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
District Leader James R. McAnus
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Steven S. Sanders
Councilmember Andrew S. Eristoff
N.Y.C. Public Advocate Betsy F. Gotbaum
N.Y.S. Senator Carl M. Andrews
U.S. Congressmember Jerrold L. Nadler
Judge Thomas M. Fitzpatrick
Councilmember Eva S. Moskowitz
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Alexander P. Grannis
District Leader Danny P. Dromm
U.S. Senator Hillary R. Clinton
N.Y.C. Councilmember Robert J. Jackson
N.Y.S. Senator David A. Paterson
District Leader David B. Reck
N.Y.S. Senator Liz S. Krueger
State Committeemember Larry C. Moss
N.Y.C. Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr.
District Leader Meryl O. Brodsky
School Boardmember Larry M. Sauer (died 20 February 2003)
N.Y.S. Senator Kevin S. Parker
Councilmember James E. "Jed" Davis (murdered 23 July 2003)
N.Y.S. Governor George E. Pataki
N.Y.C. Councilmember Hiram P. Monserrate
District Leader Keen S. Berger
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Jonathan L. Bing
U.S. Congressmember Joseph J. Crowley
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Keith L. Wright
N.Y. Supreme Court Judge Leslie Crocker-Snyder
N.Y.C. Councilmember Melissa M. Viverito
N.Y.C. Councilmember Rosaura L. Mendez
Organizations
Gay & Lesbian National Hotline
Friends of STONEWALL Veterans' Association
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
Empire State Pride Agenda (status "86" since mid-2003)
Imperial QUEENS & Kings of Greater New York
Institute for Human Identity
McManus Midtown Democratic Association
People With AIDS Coalition
Stonewall Car Club
Greenwich Village Halloween Parade
Metropolitan Community Church
New York State Democratic Committee
Beaux Arts Society
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Stonewall Republicans
Renew New York Committee
Human Rights Campaign
Staten Island Gay Community Group
Congregation Beth Simchat Torah
Long Island Gays United
New York City Anti-Violence Project
Imperial QUEENS of Long Island
New York University
G.L.B.T. Studies Group
Senior Action in a Gay Environment
PRIDE Democrats
Committee To Rebuild New York
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
Middle Collegiate Church
Working Group On Lesbian & Gay Issues
Village Independent Democrats
Queens Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade Committee
Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Holocaust Coalition
Liberal Party of New York
Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council
Body Positive
Clearview Festival Foundation
G.L.B.T. Political Coalition
Human Resources Administration
Triangle Transgenderists
The Bronx G.L.B.T. Pride Parade
Unity Fellowship Church
ASTRAEA - National Lesbian Action Fund
Zappalorti Society
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Independence Party of Manhattan
Brooklyn Historic Railway Association
Albany Gay Pride Parade
Businesses and Others
Int'l Gay Business Expo & Entertainment Festival
I.W.I. Risk Management Services
Gay Financial Network
Village Apothecary
New York Blade Newspaper
Manatus Restaurant
Pinnacle Choice Healthcare Plan
Papillon Restaurant
Christopher Street Financial
Cafe Bruxelles
Law Office of Hal M. Weiner
Hogs 'n' Heifers Bar
R.D.P Group Productions
The Monster Club
H.S.B.C. Bank
Proofreaders Unlimited
Bare Essentials
Frank E. Campbell's Funeral Chapel
Vintage Cafe
The Duplex
G.L.B.T. Political Coalition
Body Positive
Friends of Dennis Mehiel for Lieut. Gov. (2002)
Hudson Corner Cafe
MacGregor Insurance Co.
Tapestry Restaurant
Eliot L. Spitzer for Attorney General (1998 & 2002)
All Med Rehabilitation Center
Cozy Nook Bar
Kopy Kat Center
Village Den Restaurant
Michael R. Bloomberg for N.Y.C. Mayor (2001 & 2005)
Bus Stop Cafe
Village Copy & Computer Center
The Stonewall Club
Hakeem S. Jeffries for N.Y.S. Assembly (2002 & 2006)
DeBellis Insurance Co.
Trick or Treat Productions
Eddie L. Baca for N.Y.S. Assembly (2004)
Alvin W. Holmes Complete Computer Service
Edwin's Spanish Cafe
Tim I. Neiman for N.Y.S. Senate (2004)
PRU Management
Philip Marie Restaurant
Margarita L. Lopez for Manhattan Borough President (2005)
Mercado's Cuisine
Melissa M. Viverito for New York City Council (2005)
Leslie Crocker Snyder for Manhattan District Attorney (2005)
Rosie L. Mendez for New York City Council (2005)
Updated: New Year's Adam 2005
"When Guiliani supported gay rights, gun control, and abortion while Mayor of NY, he was telling the liberal voters what they wanted to hear."
In other words a typical political hack with no core beliefs other than wanting power
If that's the case, he's patently unfit for office.
I don't demand that every candidate always march in lockstep with my core beliefs. I can respect a man who has his own convictions, even if I don't share them. But a politician who'll say anthing to get elected? The lowest of the low. He'll pretend to support the people's agenda to get the job, then spend his time in office doing the bidding of those willing to pay the highest price. We have enough of that already, and don't need any more.
If your words were supposed to gather support for Guiliani, Brilliant, they've accomplished rather the opposite. If you're right, Rudy is slime.
S.V.A. Honorary Members (STONEWALL Veterans' Association)
(all 14 are supportive, considered and voted upon)
Liz J. Abzug, Rebuild Our Town Downtown, Co-Chair
(www.Abzug.com)
N.Y.C. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
(www.MikeBloomberg.com)
N.Y.C. Councilmember James E. (Jed) Davis, In Memorium
(www.Council.nyc.ny.us)
Congressmember Geraldine A. Ferraro
(www.search.Britannica.com)
Borough President C. Virginia Fields
(www.NewYorkers4Fields.com)
America's Mayor Rudy W. Giuliani
(www.GiulianiPartners.com)
B. Thomas Golisano, Paychex, President
(www.Paychex.com)
N.Y.C. Public Advocate Betsy F. Gotbaum
(www.PubAdvocate.nyc.gov)
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
(www.Riverkeeper.org)
Councilmember Margarita L. Lopez
(www.MargaritaLopez.com)
Martha Reeves, Motown Singer & Detroit Councilwoman
(www.STONEWALLvets.org/songsofStonewall-7.htm)
N.Y.S. Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer
(www.Spitzer2006.com)
Steven L. Wesler, R.D.P. Group, President
(www.RDPgroup.com)
N.Y.S. Assemblymember Keith L.Wright
(www.WrightForTheFuture.com)
Great find. Keep digging. Expose this liberal RINO and bring him down before anyone is stupid enough to try to run him as a Republican for President.
This is about the New York City Stonewall Chapter
http://www.gaycitynews.com/gcn_322/lgbtvetsatnational.html
LGBT Vets at National Convention
Activists aim to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell as gay and lesbian troops serve in combat abroad
Clintons and David Mixner were all funders and activists of the antiwar movement from Vietnam through today.
Rudy is a member of this Stonewall group.
>>>STONEWALL Veterans' Association<<<<
THE STONEWALL REBELLION LIVES
Contingents of Queers Against War, Racism, and State Repression March in Pride Parades Across the Country
by Su Docekal and Bob Schwartz
"I've been alienated by the Abercrombie & Fitch pride-is-buying-power-trend, but things are looking up," declared Rhyd, Seattle's self-described anarchystfag, as he surveyed his city's noisy, rowdy and diverse antiwar contingent of some 250 people.
From Seattle to New York, Pride Parade contingents were fielded by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer folk and straight allies to protest US war abroad and racist profiling of Arabs, Muslims and South Asians and attacks on civil liberties at home. Warmly received, and joined by some onlookers, the contingents proved that LGBTQ activism is alive and well.
In Chicago, It's "Stop the Hate, Stop the Fear"
Chicago's anti-war contingent in the June 30 Pride parade, numbering about 75 and organized by the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network, sought to identify GLBT people with the scapegoating now being directed at Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians.
"As Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered people we know what it's like…to be attacked on the streets by perfect strangers, simply for being who we are," read the 7,000 handbills passed out at the parade and at the African-American Gay Pride event that evening. We know what it's like "to have our government target us for 'legal' discrimination and abuse…to have our houses of worship vandalized and destroyed by those who hate us."
Large banners proclaimed, "Defend Civil Rights at Home, No 'Collateral Damage' Abroad, Stop This War!" and "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered People & Allies In SOLIDARITY with Arabs, Muslims, South Asians Against Racial Profiling." Three other banners carried by allied activists defended Mumia abu-Jamal, slammed patriarchy and war. Chants rang out: "Stop the Hate, Stop the Fear, Immigrants Are Welcome Here," and "Arabs and Muslims Under Attack, What Do We Do? Act Up, Fight Back," were among them.
CABN is a member of the city-wide Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism, and has been involved in numerous demonstrations to oppose the war in Afghanistan, defend "detained" immigrants and support to the struggle for Palestinian liberation. Participating organizations numbered about 15 and included Chicago A.N.S.W.E.R. [Act Now to Stop War and End Racism], Refuse & Resist, International Socialist Organization, Palestine Aid Society, the Green Party, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism, Students Against Sweatshops, October 22nd Coalition, Chicago Comiittee to Free Mumia abu-Jamal, the Revolutionary Communist Party and Youth Brigade, the latter being a drum corps headquartered in a public housing project.
Seattle "Takes no Pride in War"
In Seattle, a bright pink and black banner that read "We Take No Pride in War" led off the contingent, one of the largest in the parade, also on June 30.
"1, 2, 3, 4, We Don't Want Your Racist War; 5,6,7,8, Go Home and Masturbate," elicited a roar of approval from the crowd. "Pussy Power, Not Bush Power," and "No Blood for Oil" were also popular. The protest was seen as a natural outgrowth of earlier queer efforts to support Somali and Arab immigrants who have been targeted by federal investigators, and participation in actions against the Bush war machine. "So it was natural that we'd want that voice heard at our own pride celebration," said one organizer from Radical Women.
Thousands of parade spectators took flyers explaining why GLBT people are organizing against war and defending immigrants.
Organizations endorsing the action included Dyke Community Activists, Pride at Work-Seattle, Seattle Women's Action Network, Earl Grey is Dead [an anarchist poetry magazine], Freedom Socialist Party, International Socialist Organization, the Not in Our Name Project, Refuse and Resist-Seattle, and Palestinian Solidarity Committee.
"US Out of the Middle East" is Portland Chant
In Portland, Oregon, the "Out, Loud, and Proud Against the War" contingent of about 30, was one of the few political groups in the parade on June 16. Banners proclaimed "Stop Terrorist Witchunts," and "Stonewall was a Riot; Now We Need a Revolution" as participants chanted "We Want Justice, We Want Peace; U.S. Out of the Middle East." Picket signs were carried and strapped to several strollers featuring slogans such as "No forced Marriage for Women on Welfare" and "Freedom to Marry for Same-Sex Couples."
Eduardo Martinez-Zapata, a Chicano socialist who came with his children noted, "It is invigorating to see the solidarity between people of color, feminists, veterans, sexual minorities and straights out here defending the gay community and to end this war on all of us."
Participating groups included Portland Peaceful Response, the local antiwar coalition; Radical Women; War Tax Resisters; Freedom Socialist Party; and Northwest Veterans for Peace.
And in San Francisco, and New York.
San Francisco fielded a Pride parade contingent of about 30 people organized by Pride at Work. Affiliated with the AFL-CIO, Pride at Work is the queer caucus of the national labor federation. "Maybe GLBT folk can prod the federation into taking an antiwar stance. For now the AFL-CIO is letting the same government that has made it hell for workers in the United States, chart its course in the so-called War on Terror," said Tina Beacock, A PAW member marching in Chicago.
In New York on June 23, there were several antiwar groups in the parade including the International Action Center, which includes the Workers World Party, carrying a banner declaring "No Pride in Occupation." Radical Women marched, as did a group whose name means "Black Laundry" in English that carried signs in Hebrew and English denouncing Israel's attacks on Palestinians. [This group was also represented in the Tel Aviv GLBT parade with the same message.]
At the New York rally, veteran activist Leslie Feinberg spoke. A transgender lesbian and an editor of the Workers World newspaper, she identified herself as a socialist revolutionary, and commended the parade organizers for having the courage to invite her to speak in NY given the reactionary climate of the time.
"We have to put war, racism, and attacks on civil liberties on our movement agenda," said Feinberg. To back war and reaction would be a grave error, she said. "It emboldens the most conservative, reactionary currents; demoralizes and isolates the most progressive. The movement gives its proxy to the same reactionary rulers who oppress its ranks."
Feinberg conterposed to this defeatest strategy followed today by LGBT groups like the Human Rights Campaign [HRC], the gay liberationists ignited by Stonewall. "The left wing of the gay movement stood up for the Vietnamese against the Pentagon war. We fought Cointelpro, movement sabotage by the FBI. We defended the Black Panthers . . .and women's liberation movement from murderous state attacks. This expression of unity won tremendous respect and solidarity with our movement from struggling peoples here and around the world," she asserted.
Speaking at the Seattle rally, Radical Women member Christina Lopez sounded a similar note on the current struggle. Recognizing the then upcoming Independence Day, Lopez challenged her audience to ignore the dummed down patriotism of Ashcroft, Bush and the jingoist Democrats and instead, "Celebrate what the Fourth of July really stands for: a revolution that won freedom of speech, the right to assemble, and the right to trial by a jury of peers. It took a second revolution, the Civil War, to end slavery. And its going to take a third revolution to win a world where there is joy and peace, where everyone has a home and enough to eat and we are free to love whom we choose."
The fact that these contingents popped up independently in parades across the country shows the depth of queer anger at where this country is headed. Young people, fed up with the growing presence of corporate floats and beer trucks on pride day, are bringing the spirit of Stonewall back. "I always wondered why mainstream gays settled for 'Queer as capitalism will let us be Folk.'" said Rhyd from Seattle, "I get kinda angry."
Is the national gay leadership listening?
_________________
Su Docekal is a member of Radical Women and Freedom Socialist Party, living in Seattle.
Bob Schwartz is active with Chicago Anti-Bashing Network, a gay liberation organization; living in Chicago.
Contact CABN at cabnstopthehate@aol.com
WWW at cabn.org
18 & 19
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