Presbyterian Washington Office:
Leadership Conference
on Civil Rights voices serious concern over Sen. Rick Santorum's attack on
gay and lesbian equality
[4-23-03]
WASHINGTON -- Wade Henderson, the
executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the
nation's oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition,
issued the following statement today regarding divisive anti-gay comments
made recently by Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) during an interview with the
Associated Press:
"We are deeply troubled by Sen. Santorum's
remarks because he showed a disturbing anti-gay bias by comparing
homosexuality to such conduct as bigamy, polygamy, incest or adultery. Such
comparisons fly in the face of scientific and medical data, common sense,
and basic decency. In making his remarks, Sen. Santorum has attacked and
marginalized an entire segment of the American population."
"His comments were eerily reminiscent of
remarks made by former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who in a
1998 interview argued that homosexuality is a disease very similar to
alcoholism or kleptomania. Like the remarks of his now-discredited
colleague, Sen. Santorum's statement suggests a continuing pattern of
pervasive anti-gay bias within the Republican leadership, a pattern that we
strongly urge President Bush and current Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist
(R-Tenn.) to disavow."
"As an institution committed to civil and
human rights, LCCR believes that the right to equal protection under the
law, as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, is
paramount in our society. The Supreme Court will soon determine the
constitutionality of a Texas sodomy law, which is being challenged because
it denies to gays and lesbians the right to equal protection, by singling
them out for criminal sanctions for engaging in private, consensual intimate
activity. Senator Santorum speaks favorably of the Texas law, which refutes
his claim, made today, that he is a 'firm believer that all are equal under
the Constitution.' Without a firm belief in the equality of every American,
LCCR questions Sen. Santorum's fitness to be a leader in a body as important
as the United States Senate."
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY POLICY
1978 Statement - UPCUSA,
1978, pp. 265-266
The Church and Homosexuality
Decriminalization and Civil Rights
There is no legal, social, or moral
justification for denying homosexual persons access to the basic
requirements of human social existence. Society does have a legitimate role
in regulating some sexual conduct, for criminal law properly functions to
preserve public order and decency and to protect citizens from public
offense, personal injury, and exploitation. Thus, criminal law properly
prohibits homosexual and heterosexual acts that involve rape, coercion,
corruption of minors, mercenary exploitation, or public display. However,
homosexual and heterosexual acts in private between consenting adults
involve none of these legitimate interests of society. Sexual conduct in
private between consenting adults is a matter of private morality to be
instructed by religious precept or ethical example and persuasion, rather
than by legal coercion.
Vigilance must be exercised to oppose
federal, state, and local legislation that discriminates against persons on
the basis of sexual orientation and to initiate and support federal, state,
or local legislation that prohibits discrimination against persons on the
basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public
accommodations. This provision would not affect the church's employment
policies. . . .
Conclusions
II. Recommendations
Consistent with this policy statement and
conclusions, the 190th General Assembly (1978):
7. Calls upon the media to continue to work
to end the use of harmful stereotypes of homosexual persons; and encourages
agencies of the General Assembly, presbyteries, and congregations to develop
strategies to insure the end of such abuse.
12. Reaffirms the need, as expressed by the
182nd General Assembly (1970) for United Presbyterians to work for the
decriminalization of private homosexual acts between consenting adults, and
calls for an end to the discriminatory enforcement of other criminal laws
against homosexual persons.
13. Calls upon United Presbyterians to work
for the passage of laws that prohibit discrimination in the areas of
employment, housing, and public accommodations based on the sexual
orientation of a person. 1979 Statement - PCUS, 1979, pp. 208-209
Decriminalization and Civil Rights
The 117th and 118th General Assemblies
asserted "the need for the church to stand for just treatment of homosexual
persons in our society in regard to their civil liberties, equal rights and
protection under the law from social and economic discrimination which is
due all its citizens." This stand is affirmed. 1993 Statement - PC(USA), pp.
118-119
Whereas, current church policy clearly
states that as Presbyterians, we are to stand for just treatment of
homosexual persons, including working toward protection under the law from
discrimination; and
Whereas, the state of Colorado passed a
state constitutional amendment . . . which abrogates all laws that protect
people against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; and
Whereas, political action groups in various
states are using . . . [this] as a model for discriminatory laws, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the 205th General Assembly
(1993) unequivocally condemns all discriminatory legislation . . . and calls
for the repeal of Amendment 2 of the Colorado Constitution. The 205th
General Assembly (1993) further instructs the Stated Clerk to communicate
with presbytery and synod councils, requesting them to notify the office of
the Stated Clerk of proposed or pending legislation in their states or
communities regarding similar discriminatory measures . . . [R] 1993
Statement - PC(USA), p. 946
Resolved, That the 205th General Assembly
(1993) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
1. commend [the] Stated Clerk . . . for
joining with other national religious leaders in urging an end to
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the U.S. military . . .
2. direct [the] Stated Clerk to urge [the
president] and the Congress of the United States to move to end all
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the U.S. military .
For more information, contact:
Elenora Giddings Ivory,
PC(U.S.A.)Washington Office, 110 Maryland Avenue, NE, #104, Washington, DC
20002.
202-543-1126, fax 202-543-7755.
Email
eivory@ctr.pcusa.org
