Hillary address LGBT audiences today on OURCHART

Hi Ya'll, I copied this from OURCHART this morning. HA! She waited until the day of Super Tuesday to come out on our side.

By Senator Hillary Clinton

As I have traveled around the country these past twelve months, what I sensed in my heart has been confirmed – America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before. On the campaign trail, a father of a gay son will ask about ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A woman will ask why she can be discriminated against just because of who she is. Sometimes they wait furtively for the crowd to thin and then whisper their confidences in a soft voice and sometimes they stand up proudly at town meetings and want me to share my views on how I will help lead the change to assure that this country fulfills its promise to everyone.

Let me tell you what I have been telling voters across America. I am fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans. For seven long years, the Bush Administration has tried to divide us - only seeing people who matter to them. It's been a government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And no community has been more invisible to this administration than the LGBT community.

I will change that. The best evidence of what I will do as President is what I have already done.

I am proud of my record as First Lady, as a U.S. Senator and as a candidate for President in working toward the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans.

· I am proud that as Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in 2006, I worked closely with LBGT community to develop a smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment. I am proud of fighting the FMA as divisive wedge politics at its worst.

· I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act which would grant the same benefits (including health insurance) to domestic partners of federal employees that are currently offered to employees’ legal spouses.

· I am proud to have authored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands access to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV, and fought to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act.

· I am proud that I hired a National Director of LGBT Outreach within a month of announcing my candidacy for President and to have openly gay and lesbian staffers serving at all levels of my campaign.

· I am proud to have a National LGBT Steering Committee of over 130 that includes openly LGBT elected officials, Board members and opinion leaders on issues ranging from transgender rights, to HIV/AIDS, to “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

· I am proud to have marched in Gay Pride parades as both First Lady and as Senator and to have spoken in front of so many LGBT audiences ranging from the Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, the Hetrick Martin Institute, PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

· I am proud to have fought Republican efforts to demonize and marginalize the LGBT community, and I will continue to do that as President.

We have so much work to do. When I am President, we will work together to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits and that nothing stands in the way of loving couples who want to adopt children in need. We're going to expand our federal hate crimes legislation and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and assure that they are both fully inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. And finally, we will put an end to the failed policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice – the traits that define our men and women in uniform – have nothing to do with sexual orientation.

My father was a conservative Republican, who held very traditional views for much of his life. Yet in his last years, it was a gay couple who lived next door who provided much of the compassion and comfort he and my mother needed as he grew ill. And it was that same neighbor who held his hand as he died. If my father can move, America can move.

To each and every LGBT American, I say this. You have done so much to help this country understand your lives by simply being open and honest about who you are and living your lives with dignity. Thank you for your courage. It is time that we recognize your hard work. I know that this country is ready for changes in the law that reflect the evolution in our hearts.

America deserves a President who appeals to the best in each of us, not the worst; a President who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love. I want to be that President. I want to be your President.

HERE IS A LIST OF LGBT folks on the Steering Committee she mentions.

LGBT Americans For Hillary Steering Committee Members (Committee In Formation)*:

Eldie Acheson, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General; founding director, Public Policy and Government Affairs, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Roberta Achtenberg, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Toni Atkins, San Diego, CA, City Councilmember
Dr. Christopher Barley, activist, philanthropist
Greg Berlanti, executive producer, TV series, "Brothers and Sisters"
Elizabeth Birch, former Executive Director, Human Rights Campaign
Mary Breslauer, former co-chair, Kerry-Edwards 2004 LGBT Steering Committee; communications consultant
Tonio Burgos, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus
Ilene Chaiken, creator/producer, Showtime series, "The L Word"
Rocco Claps, former LGBT Outreach Director, Democratic National Committee; Illinois LGBT activist
Bruce Cohen, Oscar-winning film producer
Roberta Conroy, member, National Leadership Council, Lambda Legal
Joan Darrah, retired U.S. Navy Captain
Q. Todd Dickinson, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Thomas Duane, New York State Senator
Ingrid Duran, board member, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Steve Elmendorf, Deputy Campaign Manager, Kerry-Edwards 2004
Shelley Freeman, business leader, Los Angeles Police Commissioner
Ethan Geto, long-time gay rights advocate
John Gile, Executive Director, Project Angel Food
Emily Giske, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus
Deborah Glick, New York Assemblymember
Steven Goldstein, Chair, Garden State Equality
Chad Griffin, CEO, Chad Griffin Consulting, Inc.
Rebecca Haag, Executive Director, AIDS Action Council; Executive Director, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Yashar Hedayat, businessman
Lisa Henderson, General Manager, Olivia Cruises
Stephen Herbits, businessman
Fred Hochberg, former Deputy then Acting Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration; Dean of the Milano School for Management and Urban Policy, The New School
John Isa, board of directors and Business Council member, Human Rights Campaign
Gloria Johnson, board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Christine Kehoe, California State Senator
Keith Kerr, retired Colonel., U.S. Army; retired Brigadier General, California National Reserve
Kasey Kincaid, attorney, Iowa grassroots activist
Billie Jean King, sports legend and social pioneer
Sheila James Kuehl, California State Senator
Mark Kvare, board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Neel Lattimore, Special Advisor for Strategic Communications, Children's Defense Fund; former press secretary for the First Lady
Bruce Lehman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks
Sue Lovell, Houston, TX, City Councilmember
Claire Lucas, chair, Democratic National Committee LGBT Leadership Council; board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Linda Gray Murphy, board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Daniel O'Donnell, New York Assemblymember
Dixon Osburn, LGBT activist on "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy
Annise Parker, Houston, TX, City Controller
Catherine Pino, board member, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
Julian Potter, former Special Assistant to President as Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian Community
Christine Quinn, Speaker, New York City Council
Hilary Rosen, President, OurChart.com; media industry consultant
Peter Rosenstein, DC-based LGBT community activist
Mirian Saez, member, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus
Greg Sargent, attorney, New Hampshire LGBT activist
Jayne Baron Sherman, co-chair, In the Life Media; former board chair, Lambda Legal
Melissa Sklarz, Director, New York Trans Rights Organization; vice chair, National Stonewall Democrats
Paul M. Smith, board member, Lambda Legal; Attorney who successfully argued the landmark case, Lawrence v. Texas, establishing the right to privacy for gay Americans
Jeff Soref, former chair of the Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus; former co-chair, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Laura Spanjian, board member, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund; board member, Equality California
Campbell Spencer, former National LGBT Outreach Director for the Democratic National Committee and Gore-Lieberman 2000
Rick Stafford, chair, Democratic National Committee LGBT Caucus; co-chair, National Stonewall Democrats
Jill Stauffer, board of directors, Human Rights Campaign
Sally Susman, business leader
Rev. Deborah Tammearu, Episcopal Priest, Diocese of New York
Matthew Titone, New York State Assemblymember
Jeffrey Tooke, board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Olive F. Watson, activist and philanthropist
Paula Redd Zeman, vice chair, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; vice chair, Black Democrats of Westchester
Bob Zuckerman, board member, National Stonewall Democrats
Jose Zuniga, retired U.S. Army Sergeant and former Soldier of the Year; Executive Director, International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care

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