NSDC Statement on Booing of Gay Soldier at Last Night's GOP Debate

NSDC STATEMENT ON FLORIDA REPUBLICANS DISRESPECTING AMERICA’S MILITARY

Contact: 

Andrew Davey, Secretary & Political Director 

(702)806-1340/ atdnext@gmail.com 

Derek Washington, President 

(702) 576-4978/ derekisademocrat@gmail.com 

We at Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus (NSDC) have been celebrating the end of the discriminatory and dangerous “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy that had been forcing LGBTQ American soldiers out of our military. This was harming our national security by preventing our military from simply recruiting the best and brightest that they needed to protect our country. Last fall, Senator Harry Reid fulfilled his promise to pass repeal. And this week, President Obama fulfilled his promise by implementing repeal of DADT.

Yet last night at the Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate in Orlando, Florida, America saw complete and utter disrespect for our military and our country when a gay soldier was booed by Florida Republicans in the audience for simply asking the Republican candidates if they were serious about reinstituting DADT.  This American soldier, Stephen Hill, is currently serving our country in Iraq. He has been busy defending our freedom, yet Florida Republicans refuse to allow him the freedom to serve his country, or even the freedom to ask politicians questions regarding military policy for that matter!

We at NSDC have to ask when this kind of behavior became acceptable. When is it ever acceptable to dishonor our country by booing an active duty soldier? And when is it ever acceptable to treat any soldier as a second-class citizen simply because of who he or she loves?

What made this embarrassing display of juvenile behavior even worse was when Former Pennsylvania Senator and current Republican Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum proceeded to disparage Stephen Hill, call for the return of DADT, and behave as if all that booing of Hill had never happened. And with the sole exceptions of Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, none of the other Republican Presidential Candidates condemned the homophobia and disrespect for a US soldier displayed by the audience at that debate. And when confronted after the debate, both Republican frontrunners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney had trouble mustering any courage to defend Hill and fully condemn what happened at that debate.

It is tragic that sound military and national security policy is being rejected by most Republican Presidential Candidates, and it is disgusting that Florida Republicans actually felt comfortable in dishonoring an American soldier serving our country so honorably abroad. This should really tell America all we need to know about these candidates and their willingness to actually do what is best for our country.

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Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus was founded in 2005. Our membership consists of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Nevadans and our straight allies. We will lobby and educate members of the Nevada State Legislature to protect the rights and advocate on behalf of Nevadans who are routinely discriminated against because of their sexuality and gender identity. 

@NVStonewallDems 

nvstonewalldems@gmail.com

NSDC Statement on Marriage Equality Passage in New York

Contact:
Andrew Davey, Secretary & Political Director
(702) 806-1340/ atdnext@gmail.com
Chris Miller, President
(702) 569-6744/ chrisisademocrat@gmail.com

We at Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus (NSDC) are glad to see the passage of marriage equality in New York today. With Assembly passage already done and four Senate Republicans joining twenty-nine Senate Democrats to pass the bill out of The State Senate tonight, the bill will soon go to Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo's desk for his signature.

And thanks to the persistence of both Governor Cuomo and the many equality activists working tirelessly to make this day happen, New York is making history. New York will the the sixth US state to enact civil marriage equality (following Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire), the third state to do so through the legislative process, and the most populous state ever to do so.

We at NSDC salute our friends, family, and fellow allies in New York for their much deserved victory, and we are committed to working for progress on marriage equality and the end to all unjust discrimination here in Nevada and nationwide.

NSDC Statement on AB 211 Becoming Law

Chris Miller, President NSDC
702.569.674
 
The Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus is pleased that Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has today signed AB211, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, into law. This new law will now make Nevada a member of an ever-growing group of states plus the District of Columbia that has added gender identity and expression to existing employment discrimination laws.


 The Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus (NSDC) and its members have worked tirelessly on this issue along with a broad coalition of LGBT and ally organizations. NSDC President Chris Miller stated, “Nevada’s LGBT Community has come a long way in the last few years and I am pleased that Stonewall and its members played a part in the passage if this important piece of civil rights legislation.“ Yasmena, Director of Transgender Outreach stated, “What many people take for granted is a privilege to the transgender community. For instance being qualified, driven and capable to deliver a job are not guaranteeing factors for transgender Nevadans to land a position, However, signing AB211 into our law will make a big difference. It’s about time!”
The NSDC would like to thank Governor Sandoval and ALL members of the Nevada Assembly and Senate who voted for enactment of this law that now shows the country that Nevada is a fair and welcoming state for all.

A Note from Chris Giunchigliani

Chris Giunchigliani is the Democrat running for Mayor of Las Vegas, and is a past officer of Southern Nevada Stonewall. She has a strong pro-equality track record, but her opponent has made some concerning, and at times contradictory, statements on providing equal rights for Nevada's LGBTQ families. Early voting starts this Saturday for municipal election runoffs in the Clark County cities of Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite, and North Las Vegas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2011

Contact: Chris Giunchigliani 521-1663 or Gray and Associates 388-7788

Carolyn Goodman opposes gay marriage

Candidate for Mayor admits opposition to gay marriage, shows “stunning lack of knowledge of LGBT issues”

LAS VEGAS-Sunday night Carolyn Goodman and Chris Giunchigliani finally debated on Channel 8 news. Carolyn Goodman has refused to debate Chris Giunchigliani since April 21^st and has canceled over a half dozen previously scheduled debates. It was clear from Carolyn Goodman’s confusing responses last night why she has been so hesitant to debate.

Carolyn Goodman was asked about her comments at a forum  in front of the Lambda Business Association, moderated by Steve Friess (it was not a debate—Goodman refused to share the stage and left in the middle of Giunchigliani’s interview).  At the event she was asked if she supported gay marriage and she commented that if she were gay and wanted to get married she would “be going to a state right now that legalizes a marriage of same sex individuals” but opposed gay marriage in Nevada.

In Sunday night’s debate she claimed the comment was taken out of context. She then reaffirmed her opposition tomarriage equality but thinks if there was “urgency” for a gay couple to get married, they should leave the state, but then return once they were married. She failed to define “urgency.”

Her remarks come as commentators are noting Nevada’s failure to stay competitive in  the expansion of the tourist wedding market, losing out to gay-friendly states.

Carolyn Goodman appeared to not understand the fact that if a gay couple is married out of state and returns, Nevada doesn’t recognize their marriage or their rights as a family.

"Carolyn Goodman has repeatedly shown a stunning lack of knowledge on LGBT issues, especially marriage equality" said National Stonewall Democrats board member Bill Jacobs.  “Las Vegas deserves a Mayor who is ready to take the reins and begin governing on the first day of work, not someone who will need an extended on the job training program.”

"I find it offensive that Carolyn Goodman would suggest that I go to another state if I felt the need to have the same rights as any other loving couple in Nevada", said LGBT community leader James Healey.

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Chris Giunchigliani for Mayor

1717 South 15^th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89104

Personal Cell Phone: 521-1663

Chris Giunchigliani for Mayor Headquarters

6600 West Charleston, Suite 120 Las Vegas, Nevada 89146

Headquarters Phone: 834-3333

Website: www.ChrisGforMayor.com

Will Joe Heck Keep His Promise? Or Follow the Radical Right Agenda Again?

It looks like House Republican leaders care more about pleasing teabagger extremists than doing the right thing. They are again playing politics with both our civil rights and our national security.

The House Armed Services Committee voted Wednesday to bring to the floor the 2012 defense authorization bill with three antigay amendments — one criticized by a gay service member advocacy group as “a shameful and embarrassing waste of time.”

The three amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, all largely passed along party lines, would require the four service branch chiefs to sign off on “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal; prohibit weddings for same-sex couples on military facilities by chaplains; and affirm that the Defense of Marriage Act applies to Defense Department policies. [...]

Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, doubted that any of the amendments offered would ultimately pass in the Senate — or be signed into law by President Obama. “The offering of this amendment was a shameful and embarrassing waste of time," Nicholson said of the Hunter amendment. "The service chiefs have unequivocally said that they do not want this extra burden forced upon them, so if Congress really values their advice on this issue they should take it and forget this unnecessary and unwanted amendment."

Of the antigay amendments passed, Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the committee, said in a late Wednesday statement: "'Don’t ask, don’t tell' forces capable and willing young men and women out of our armed services and undermines national security. These amendments only seek to delay the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and further undermine our military readiness.”

So once these wasteful amendments go to the full House for floor votes, will Joe Heck agree to this nonsense? Last year, he said he supports repeal. But with House GOP leadership and "tea party" bigwigs demanding more discrimination in the military, will Heck buckle under the pressure (as he usually does)?

Call Joe Heck at (202) 225-3252 and let him know what you think about Congress wasting time on these pointless votes while people here in Nevada need jobs. Also make sure to ask him to oppose these amendments and stay true to his word to let DADT repeal stand. We can't stand for any more of this. The unlawful discharges must end and we must let the military keep the service members needed to keep our country safe.

NSDC Statement on AB 211's Passage

NSDC STATEMENT ON AB 211 PASSAGE 

Contact: 

Andrew Davey, Secretary & Political Director 

(702) 806-1340/ atdnext@gmail.com 

Chris Miller, President 

(702) 569-6744/ chrisisademocrat@gmail.com 

We at Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus (NSDC) were encouraged today by 

the passage of AB 211 in the Nevada State Senate today.  If this bill is signed into 

law by Governor Sandoval, it will represent significant progress in the fight for 

LGBTQ equality here in Nevada. AB 211 is the fully inclusive ENDA (Employment 

Non-discrimination Act) that rejects the notion of “legalized” workplace 

discrimination against transgender Nevadans. 

As of now, far too many workers have lost their jobs for no good reason. And as 

we in Nevada are still enduring the pain of a difficult recession and the beginning 

of a fragile economic recovery, we can not afford this kind of chronic, forced 

unemployment. Workplace nondiscrimination truly is a jobs issue, and AB 211 

goes a great distance to better ensure all Nevadans who seek honest work can 

obtain it. 

As the 76th Session of the Nevada Legislature continues, NSDC will continue to 

watch what happens in Carson City, advocate for bills that advance LGBTQ 

equality, and work for a fair & sensible budget that works for all of Nevada’s 

working families. And with The Legislature’s passage of AB 211 today, we are 

confident about continued progress on ending unjust discrimination, advancing 

civil rights, and ensuring all in our community can access quality education & 

health care. 

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Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus was founded in 2005. Our membership consists of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Nevadans and our straight allies. We will lobby and educate members of the Nevada State Legislature to protect the rights and advocate on behalf of Nevadans who are routinely discriminated against because of their sexuality and gender identity. 

@NVStonewallDems 

nvstonewalldems@gmail.com

Nevada Stonewall Statement on Today's Senate Votes

NSDC STATEMENT ON SB 180 FAILURE,

AND SB 331 & SB 368 PASSAGE

Contact: 

Andrew Davey, Secretary & Political Director

(702) 806-1340/ atdnext@gmail.com

Chris Miller, President

(702) 569-6744/ chrisisademocrat@gmail.com 

We at Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus (NSDC) were encouraged today by the passage of SB 331 and SB 368 in the Nevada State Senate today.  If these bills become law, they will represent significant progress in the fight for LGBTQ equality here in Nevada. SB 331 addresses and moves to remedy public accommodations discrimination against transgender Nevadans, and SB 368 addresses housing discrimination that is still allowed against any LGBTQ Nevadans.

However, we were disappointed by the painfully narrow failure of SB 180 today. If passed, this bill would have penalized dangerous and abhorrent hate crimes against transgender Nevadans. No one deserves to be violently attacked for who one is, but this regularly happens to far too many transgender Nevadans. And until our state hate crimes statute is revised to include anti-transgender hate crimes, far too many people in this state will still be vulnerable to such unjust brutal attacks.

As the 76th Session of the Nevada Legislature continues, NSDC will continue to watch what happens in Carson City, advocate for bills that advance LGBTQ equality, and work for a fair & sensible budget that works for all of Nevada’s working families. And despite today’s disappointing loss on SB 180, we are hopeful that Senate passage of SB 331 and SB 368 are the start of further progress on ending discrimination, advancing civil rights, and ensuring all in our community can access quality education & health care.

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Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus was founded in 2005. Our membership consists of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Nevadans and our straight allies. We will lobby and educate members of the Nevada State Legislature to protect the rights and advocate on behalf of Nevadans who are routinely discriminated against because of their sexuality and gender identity. 

@NVStonewallDems 

nvstonewalldems@gmail.com