Kerry's Progressive Record on Controversial Issues: Human Rights

Today, I have read on the board the most horrible slanders against Senator John Kerry. His life of service and principle has been twisted into the ugly and despicable. Words such as moron, killer, idiot, Bush-lite, have been used.

Even more offensive is continuing questioning of Kerry's progressive credentials. Kerry fight for environmental protections has been lauded by almost every environmental organization and he is ranked at the top of the Senate for his legislation and voting record.

But Kerry has also taken a progressive stand on many issues that get less attention, are more controversial and for which he get little credit.

Following is an article not posted here that show his solid record on
Human Rights. There is simply no other candidate to compare in the present contest.

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Three-Term Senator Has Stellar Record

October 27, 2002

Human Right Quarterly
By Mark Shields


Kerry: For the Record

Workplace Discrimination:
Co-sponsor of the Employ-ment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill that would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Hate Crimes:
Co-sponsor of a strong hate
crimes prevention measure, the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act.

HIV/AIDS:
Co-sponsor of the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which would expand Medicaid to people living with HIV, and supports science-based prevention programs.

Gay Civil Rights Bill:
Authored the Senate version of the Civil Rights Amendments Act of 1985,a comprehensive gay civil rights bill that would have covered discrimination in employment, housing and credit.

Born in a military hospital in 1943 to a World War II serviceman and his wife, John Kerry has had a lifelong affiliation with the U.S. military. As a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, Kerry made a distinctive stand in support of gays in the military during early '90s hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I think that any American ought to be able to serve their country if they are physically qualified and able," said the Massachusetts senator in a recent interview with HRC Quarterly. "There were gay people who served in Vietnam. There were gay people who served in World War II, Korea and World War I — and great acts of heroism have been per-formed by people who are gay."

Kerry is among the early front-runners in the bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. A Yale graduate, Kerry was elected lieutenant governor of Massachusetts in 1982. He was elected to the Senate in 1984, and has consistently supported, sometimes at great political peril, civil rights for the gay community.

In addition to his support for gays in the military, he was one of only 14 senators to vote in 1996 against the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA. "I thought it was rank gay bashing; it was pure political exploitation," said Kerry.

Today, Kerry supports the idea that gay and lesbian relationships should enjoy rights and privileges equivalent to those of marriage. "I'm for civil union and partnership — and I would make sure that every federal entity works to make those provisions available," he said.

Kerry says his record over the years on a range of issues sets him apart from other candidates. In 1985, he authored the Senate version of the gay civil rights bill — a measure that, if passed, would have covered discrimination in employment, housing and credit. His average score on the Human Rights Campaign's congressional scorecard, begun in the 101st Congress, is 96 percent — with a perfect score for the last four congresses.

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Meanwhile, Kerry has strong words about the current administration's policies on HIV/AIDS, which favor abstinence-only programs over scientifically based prevention programs. "It's embarrassing for the United States to have this kind of
zealotry getting in the way of common sense. ... I'm going to reverse as many of those particular directives as possible, and I'm going to set us on a path of common sense and decency."

"I think that tolerance is what this country is built on," said Kerry. "That's what America is about. That's our journey."

Shields is HRC's associate director of communications. For more on Campaign 2004, visit www.hrc.org/campaigns/2004/index.asp.

by voting the IWR? I don't think there is a universally excepted right to be bombed senseless.

Kerry opposed the main resolution authorizing force in the Persian Gulf in 1991. He sought an end to the post-war status quo which had tens of thousands of Iraqi children dying as a result of sanctions on Iraq. He criticized both former President Clinton and Bush, for missed opportunities to return inspectors to Iraq to end the risk of Iraqi WMD proliferation.

In 1998 Kerry joined John McCain to argue for forceful and effective action, covert or otherwise, to enforce U.N. inspections or remove the Saddam regime.

Kerry vocally rejected the need for War. But also insisted that doing nothing was not an option.

Kerry seems to accept that the principle "IF YOU HIRE, YOU SHOULD FIRE" should apply to the shady relationship between the U.S. Government and Saddam Hussein's rule and activity in the region. Some think it make sense.

And the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war?

Hint: there is no such thing as an "enemy combatant" according to international law.

With all the rights that come with it. I get this from a google search.

Because that's what it looked like before the IWR vote. The Bush Administration said that Saddam had the ability to strike the East Coast, and in matters of national security, it is always better to err on the side of caution.

cheating and stealing?

who is getting the shaft on DU. Thanks for posting this information. It needs to be seen here.

I wish him well. I am a lesbian and I appreciate the way he stood up, earlier than others, for GLBT rights. He is my second choice, after Clark. It's a close second. I feel that Clark is a bit more electable then Kerry because of the southern thing.

He is my second choice behind Kerry. He strikes me as a man who can get things done.

for me, too.

I'd be happy to have either as president :-)

"....he was one of only 14 senators to vote in 1996 against the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act"

This must have take gut given the attitude in mainstream. Maybe he wasn't planning to run for president then.

he voted for the IWR...that alone makes him brain dead.

There never was any proof that Saddam had weapons...and after many months in Iraq...there still in no proof.

Furthermore, John Kerry to this day is happy of his vote...and furthermore he has proclaimed himself "closer to the right" than Howard Dean. Now, I'm no fan of Dean...but I'm no fan of the right either.

John Kerry is just a moron...he doesn't deserve to be President.

Somehow I would imagine that he's not exactly a moron. Is this how Dennis K posters represent their candidate by thrashing others. If you don't agree with him fine, but a moron? If you're such a fan of your candidate why don't you show him a little more respect while posting on this forum.

trust me on that one. There are a couple or maybe three who are bad ambassadors but the rest are great.

On edit You have quite a sales job ahead of you here. I wish you luck.

You won't hear me diss it especially on gay rights. I prefer Dean due to a combination of factors but this aspect of Kerry is fine.

hes no longer respectable in my opinion

AND OVER AND OVER.

There appears to be fundamental problems with the Dean candidacy as good a Governor as he was.

Kerry wishes he had Howard Dean's problems right now.

whoever they are.

The real progressive issues have to do with progressive taxation in sufficient quantity to fund a real welfare state--universal healthcare, etc.

The ones you cite are the progressive issues of the Rich Man

of course you don't give two shits.

Caring about civil rights is an issue of the "rich man"??? I'm certainly not rich or a man, which is why civil rights is at the top of my list of what I care about.

Progressive taxation. Not repealing the middle class tax cuts and refundable child tax credits.

Universal health care. The federal govt covering every low/moderate income child. Subsidized buy-ins for the existing federal health insurance plan. Help for small business owners to provide health insurance, the biggest adult gap we have. Real solutions that will PASS.

A real candidate who has actually been the one fighting for the "minor" and "major" progressive issues his entire life. And we're throwing him to the wolves. For what reason, I have absolutely no idea.

They are minor progressive issues of the ordinary person, or at they should be. Unfortunately, we have all been so programmed to think whatever the boob tube/sitcoms/talking heads etc tell us to think, that we have now bought into some sort of fake progressive agenda. Of course, civil are progressive issues. Obviously. But they are NOT the most important ones. ECONOMIC and TAXATION issues are the important ones.

Citizens of all sorts (male, female, single, married, gay, straight, old, young, disable, able-bodied, etc) in Canada, England, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Italy, are all able to obtain, relatively quickly and easily, the following services either free or with a nominal fee (or much smaller fee than here in the USA):

1. Health care.
2. Longterm unemployment/welfare/minimum income/dole (means tested).
3. Child care (or monies for such).
4. Education from preschool to university level (with some exception, e.g., Canada).

etc etc.

Now, in order to get this welfare state, you have to raise taxes, especially taxes on those with high incomes and also on the holdings of rich people, and also on corporations to some degree.

That is the major issue. So many other progressive issues flow from that.

People, please, let's take care of the major sh*t first, then worry about the lesser issues later! Those so called progressive issues are red herring substitutes that are being touted as such are in actuality planted there by the corporate media, and although important, they are nowhere near as important as the hardcore economic issue of progressive taxation.

When I can walk around holding hands with my lover and not fear getting my ass kicked, then it might be a minor issue. When I don't have to fear being fired for being gay, then it might be a minor issue. When gay kids no longer are shamed at school for being gay, then it might be a minor issue. When gays are no longer 3 times as likely to commit suicide, I might consider it a minor issue. In short, when I am a real citizen just like you, then it might be a minor issue.

On edit I am pretty damn sure I make less money than you do.

Kerry came out EARLY to protect gays in every area of life. It is not a rich vs. poor issue, it's a human rights issue.

And Kerry was at the forefront when others thought it was a foolhardy mission. Look who was in the Senate at that time and would NOT sign on to Kerry's bill.

what is killing Kerry is IRW, his arrogant personality, his disregard and disrespect for the voters and his inability to understand or appreciate what is killing him.

so arrogant he is. Think I'll vote for him.

who are carelessly manipulating those less informed newbies who have no idea that Kerry has exposed more government corruption than ANY other lawmaker in modern history.

So, the Dean campaign lies and claims that Kerry is the one who is an arrogant, corrupt insider while Dean keeps his records sealed on the deals he made with BFEE energy firms like Koch Industries.

he needs a lot more just to show...not to mention what he needs to place

what the right thing to do in regard to gay rights.

Dean passed a gay civil rights law in Vermont without court involvement. Dean passed hate crimes legislation without court involvment. Dean granted joint adoption after not fighting in the courts (any adoption has court involvement). All of these are matters of public record. All have been posted by me before.

weren't just about civil unions and that is disengenuous.

How on earth can I get past someone betraying their principles and
progresive policies to vote for a war for political reasons?
I'm sorry but that's what he did.
And if he really "believed" Bush, then I guess he conveniently
forgot that Bush stole the presidency, so perhaps Bush shouldn't
be trusted. (Duh.)

I find it heartbreaking that such a good senator took himself
out of the race by supporting this insupportable invasion.

Same with Hillary Clinton BTW.
Both of them just break my heart.

calling for effective pressure to force Saddam to reinstate the
U.N. inspection on monitoring process since 1998. It was a tough call: either he trusted the Bush regime commitments or be a total hypocrite and demagoge.