PFLAG To Supporters: Election Results Will Not Discourage Family Struggle For Human Digni

Post-Election Analysis: PFLAG To Supporters: Election Results Will Not Discourage Family Struggle For Human Dignity

11/4/2004 11:32:00 AM

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Alice Leeds of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, 212-874-0675 or 917-523-5029 or aleeds [at] pflag.org

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a message released today from PFLAG's Executive Director, Ron Schlittler, on the election results:

There is no sugar coating that will help make yesterday's election results easier to take -- given the impact on our families and friends, it is very personal. With the passage of eleven anti-gay state constitutional amendments and uncertainty about the policy implications of the presidential outcome, we need to acknowledge the pain and give ourselves time to sort through our feelings.

PFLAGer Mary Scholl sums it up with powerful words, "I know, ultimately, this will come around right but the lives that will be hurt in the interim tear my guts apart." She added, "Unfortunately, that is the way in the struggle for human dignity."

Mary's words touch the deeper understanding that, while Nov. 2 brought forth setbacks, the GLBT community has made, and will continue to make, incredible progress. We have huge victories to build upon. Today the issues we care about -- fairness, equality and respect for ALL of our family and friends, are exceedingly visible and we have the power to ensure that they remain so. The timing of our plans in the coming year for state-by-state PFLAG organizing with our "Our House to the State House" program could not be more timely.

Every dollar spent, every effort by every PFLAG volunteer or staff person working to defeat the anti-marriage equality amendments was a valuable down payment on our eventual win. It took women more than 50 years to get the vote, and when faced with setbacks people picked themselves up, reaffirmed their commitment, reevaluated their strategy and, dedicated and relentless, worked until their goal was achieved. Our struggle and inevitable achievement of our goals will be no different.

Please concentrate on the bright spots in the few days past that reinforce our motivation and knowledge that more good work and time are on our side in our civil rights struggle. Consider:

-- Ten years ago the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, voted to ban the city council from ever including gays and lesbians in the city's human rights laws. Yesterday the voters in Cincinnati overturned that law 54 to 46 percent. They had lived with their bad decision, saw the harm to real people and the economic impacts for the community, and finally came to understand it was wrong and needed to be overturned.

-- In Massachusetts ALL the state lawmakers who supported marriage equality in that state were re-elected

-- In numerous close state and national elections, candidates that were targeted with blatant anti-gay campaigns due to their support of GLBT causes were elected or re-elected anyway.

Perhaps one of the more interesting findings in exit polling was that voters said their top priority this election was "moral values." With debate swirling around not only GLBT equality, but stem-cell research, a woman's right to choose, social/racial/economic justice and more, there is no telling what individual voters may have had in mind. What we all do know is that we at PFLAG have a thing or two to say about the moral values involved with the quest of our families and friends for full equal rights -- about the moral values involved with permitting a couple who wish to build a life together and enjoy full legal standing as a family -- about the moral values in ensuring everyone gets a fair chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and that there is no GLBT exception -- and we know we can and do change hearts, minds and policies when we help people to understand.

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Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is the nation's foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has over 250,000 members and supporters in more than 500 chapters throughout the United States.

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