HRC Weekly Update from Joe Solmonese

Dear Friend,

The air was misty and cold on November 7, 2006. Deep into the night and into Wednesday morning, we watched election returns roll in. As the dawn broke we knew that the elections had brought change, and hope. Just months after Congress had debated the Federal Marriage Amendment, anti-GLBT titans fell. Rick Santorum (R-PA) lost his Senate seat and his bully pulpit. Nancy Pelosi, whose career began with AIDS activism, would take the Speaker's gavel. As HRC staffers returned from campaign victories across the country, the hope and excitement here were palpable. We bid goodbye to the FMA, goodbye to hostile leadership, and welcomed the opportunities that lay before us.

2007 was a year that began with great hope, and ends with promise. Looking back on this momentous year, I am proud of how far we have come. In 2007, the nation's most conservative institution-our military-demonstrably shifted toward equality, with 28 flag officers coming out in opposition to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Eric Alva, the first service member wounded in Iraq, became HRC's spokesman on the issue, capturing the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere. Business support for GLBT rights continued to grow, with 195 corporations earning a score of 100% on HRC's Corporate Equality Index, over 50 supporting tax equity for domestic partner benefits, and 153 Fortune 500 companies protecting transgender workers from discrimination. For the second time, major presidential candidates came to a forum and discussed GLBT issues for a TV audience. HRC's Family Project published the first ever guide for foster care and adoption agency leaders working with GLBT foster and adoptive parents. HRC brought 230 clergy from every state in the country to the Capitol to lobby Congress on our legislative priorities.

While the 108th and 109th Congresses saw our community attacked through cheap election-year politics, the 110th Congress portended hope for a new politics of possibility. That hope translated into results. Hate crimes legislation covering the entire GLBT community passed both chambers of Congress by wide margins; in the Senate, hate crimes was one of the few progressive priorities able to muster the 60 votes needed for cloture. It was the first time that the bill had passed the House as a stand-alone measure. Embroiled in Iraq war politics and facing a strong veto threat, the legislation was dropped from the Department of Defense authorization bill, but now we know that without this anti-GLBT president standing in the way, it would become law. And with all of the Democratic candidates supporting the hate crimes bill, 2008 brings great promise for its passage. HRC has worked for over a decade to make this law a reality; we are committed to getting the job done.

For the first time, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act was introduced with protections for transgender employees. This marked the culmination of years of lobbying, drafting, and educating members of Congress. The measure secured 173 co-sponsors, a strong showing for the first session it existed. And although the House ultimately voted on a more limited bill, the vote was a historic one: it passed 235-184. In the 108th and 109th Congresses, merely holding a vote to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation would have been impossible-leadership focused on the FMA and the House even passed a bill to prevent GLBT people from having our day in federal court. But in 2007, we won. We have more work to do, particularly educating members of Congress about how to protect our entire community. But our high hopes translated into tangible progress.

Now the year is coming to a close, and the traffic through the halls of Congress has slowed. Behind us is 2007, the year of hope, when our community's voice was more powerful and more relevant than it had ever been. Down by the White House, the National Christmas Tree glows beneath a grim grey sky. It is a beautiful sight. Like so many Washington traditions, from Fourth of July fireworks to election night parties, it reminds me that we are in the center of everything. In 2007, George W. Bush lit that tree for the seventh time. Ironically, he is what keeps us in the periphery, at the brink of great accomplishments, but short of making law. By this time next year, we could be celebrating the election of a supportive president. We know that this is what it will take to translate promise to results, and we are committed to making it happen.

From all of us at the Human Rights Campaign, happy holidays and a peaceful New Year.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President, Human Rights Campaign

HRC Weekly Update from Joe Solmonese

Dear Friend,

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and are finding time to relax as this rollercoaster year draws to a close.

Republican presidential candidate Governor Mike Huckabee made news this week when the Associated Press reported on comments he made in 1992 advocating the isolation of AIDS patients from the general public. In the offensive statements, Huckabee also stated that he opposed increased federal funding in the search for a cure and said homosexuality could "pose a dangerous public health risk." In a FOX News interview on Sunday, Huckabee stood by his remarks and said he still believes today that people living with HIV and AIDS should have been "isolated" even after it was determined the virus was not spread through casual contact. Huckabee's repugnant comments reflect ignorant views that stifle discussion, hinder resources and delay action. In response, the Human Rights Campaign, in partnership with The AIDS Institute, sent a letter to Huckabee requesting that he meet with Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of Ryan White, to further explain his views. As you may remember, Ryan was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 and captivated the attention of millions as he battled the disease and, ultimately, succumbed to it.

When asked if he would meet with Ryan's mother, Huckabee said that he would, but a date still has not been set. The story has attracted national attention. To read some of the stories, go here and here. Ms. White-Ginder appeared on CNN's American Morning on Wednesday and MSNBC with Nora O'Donnell earlier today. This story draws attention to the continued need to support AIDS research and treatment via the federal Ryan White CARE Act. To view some of the news coverage and track the latest developments, visit the HRC Back Story blog at www.HRCBackStory.org.

The Child Welfare League of America's 2007 Foster Care and Adoption Training Conference was held earlier this week in New Orleans. The conference brought together 500 child welfare professionals from across the country to develop new skills and improve their practice. Featured prominently at this event was HRC's new All Children-All Families initiative, led by our Family Project and supported by some of the nation's most prominent child welfare authorities. Our Promising Practices Guide, a comprehensive manual for creating welcoming and competent practice with GLBT foster and adoptive parents, which was unveiled at the conference, was received with tremendous enthusiasm from adoption professionals eager to do more to open their agency's doors to GLBT families and provide greater leadership on the issue of fairness for GLBT adoptive parents. More aspects of the All Children-All Families initiative will be rolled out in the coming months.

Last week I told you about the successful Equality Workshops that HRC and One Iowa held throughout the state. Almost 200 people participated in the mock caucuses aimed at arming fair-minded Iowans with the tools to advocate for GLBT issues-despite that fact that the state was covered in snow and ice! To accommodate those who were not able to make it to the workshops, we have added two more. On Tuesday, December 18, there will be another workshop in Des Moines, and the next day, there will be one more in Mason City.

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President, Human Rights Campaign