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
14 December 2007
HRC Weekly Update from Joe Solmonese
Tori Amos Will NOT Be Disrupted
Tori Amos interrupted Code Red to tell two audience members on the front row to 'get the fuck out'.
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