By Chingyu Wang – Talk Radio News Service

Conservatism is not only compatible with the principle of equality between homosexuals and heterosexuals, but such equality is an essential element of conservatism, says prominent British politician Nick Herbert.

Herbert, who was elected and became the first openly gay conservative member of Parliament in 2005, participated in a panel discussion on Wednesday hosted by the Cato Institute, along with notable gay blogger Andrew Sullivan and National Organization for Marriage President Maggie Gallagher.

“If we stand against equality of opportunity, which should be an article of faith for the Right, it becomes the preserve of the Left,” said Herbert. “For the modern Conservative Party, embracing gay equality is neither a temporary phenomenon, nor an agenda which can be reversed.”

Herbert said that although his party was once against homosexuality, current leadership has helped changed its agenda.

Gallagher, who opposes gay marriage, doesn’t see the U.S. following the footsteps of the British political system, citing data produced from a recent Gallup Poll that showed 48% of Americans oppose gay marriage, while just 13% support it.

After sharing his experience of same-sex marriage, Sullivan pointed out that the GOP isn’t as supportive of gay marriage as the British Conservative Party.

“In this country, those of who proudly call ourselves gay conservatives have struggled against the gay Left, and now we are struggling against the far Republican Right, which is now the Republican Party,” said Sullivan.

“How do we reconcile a movement for gay rights with a large chunk of traditional social conservatives that are part of the movement?” Maggie Gallagher, the President of National Organization of Marriage (NOM) sees new development on gay issue as the solution. (0:32)

 

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By Learned Foote – Talk Radio News Service

President Obama will sign a memorandum on June 17th granting limited federal benefits to same-sex couples, and requesting that the Office of Personnel Management issue guidance within 90 days preventing discrimination against federal employees based on factors other than job performance.

John Berry, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the highest-ranking openly gay member of the Obama administration, said that he and the Secretary of State have “conducted internal reviews to determine whether the benefits they administer may be extended to the same-sex partners of federal employees within the confines of DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act].”

These benefits will not include health insurance, survivor or retirement benefits, or any other benefits outlawed by the Defense of Marriage Act. The Obama administration recently defended DOMA using arguments and language condemned by the ACLU, the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, and other advocates for LGBT rights. Obama has promised to repeal DOMA if the appropriate legislation reaches his desk.

The benefits granted to civil-service employees will include long-term care insurance and sick leave to care for ailing partners. Foreign service employees and their partners will gain the use of medical facilities, medical evaluations from abroad, and consideration of family size in housing units. The memorandum also requests that the heads of executive departments and agencies conduct an internal review to locate other benefits that may be legally extended to same-sex couples.

The Clinton administration issued guidance requiring that many executive agencies grant some of the benefits identified in Obama’s memorandum. Berry said these benefits thus far have been “subject to the whim of a supervisor.” Berry said that “what the president is doing today is making this no longer optional; he is making it mandatory and is making it clear that this is now the policy of the federal government.”

Within 90 days, the OPM will issue guidance regarding civil service laws that make it illegal to discriminate against federal employees for reasons other than job performance. Berry said this guidance will not impact “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a law that prevents openly gay people from serving in the military.

“This is a first step, not a final step,” said Berry.

Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Joel Hastings, Board, Log Cabin Republicans, discusses the position of gays and lesbians within the Republican party.

00:50

 

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Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Joel Hastings, Board, Log Cabin Republicans, feels Republican party could be more moderate.

00:50

 

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Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Peter Hankwitz, Former GOP congressional candidate, member Republican Leadership Council, Log Cabin Republican, talks about getting GOP “back on track.”

01:05

 

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Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Peter Hankwitz, Former GOP congressional candidate, member Republican Leadership Council, on how important it has been to him to be able to marry his husband.

00:51

 

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Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Peter Hankwitz, Former GOP congressional candidate, member Republican Leadership Council, Log Cabin Republican talks about being an openly gay Republican candidate.

00:30

 

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Coffee Brown, University of New Mexico, Talk Radio News

Joel Hastings, Board, Log Cabin Republicans
on same sex marriage.

00:59

 

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by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico

Since 1878, families have participated in the official White House Easter Egg Roll event, but this year another community of families were invited.

Some 30,000 guests were expected to attend the event and this is the first time in Egg Roll history that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families have been invited.

Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council, said she was thrilled when she received the invitation from the White House.  

“The outreach on President Obama and First Lady Obama’s behalf to gay and lesbian families was very meaningful and very important symbolism of this White House and its belief that all kinds of families should be valued in this country… We are very, very grateful,” Chrisler said. “We as parents, as gay parents, do all the same things that other parents do. We worry about getting our kids to school safely, about being good participants in our community, paying our taxes and to have a president that actually affirms us as families really helps when we face those hurdles that we face from time to time,” Chrisler said.

Cathy Renna, a member of the Family Equality Council, said she has been going to this event for several years but that this year it felt different. The FEC works to ensure equality for LGBT families by building community, changing hearts and minds, and advancing social justice for all families.

“It looked a lot more like America this year,” said Renna. “This represents a shift both symbolically and hopefully in a policy way in the way that will be treated in this country. There’s clearly a tremendous amount of hope that we’ll pass hate crimes legislation, that we’ll pass employment non-discrimination legislation at the federal level…. There’s just a very different sense of dialogue and relationship that we haven’t had in a very long time,” said Renna.