The following is an excerpt from an April 28th on-line article published in the "Gay Peoples Chronicle" Newspaper"."Ohio statewide candidates answering surveys on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues gave answers ranging from “abomination” to full support of marriage equality.
"The Gay People’s Chronicle sent surveys to all of the candidates for statewide office. The questions were designed to give insight into the candidates’ familiarity and comfort level with LGBT constituents, as well as predict their performance on LGBT policy issues.
"The Chronicle is not endorsing any candidates in the primaries, instead providing an opportunity for readers to become familiar with each of them in as close to their own words as possible.
U.S. Senate
Mike DeWine, Republican, incumbent: No response.
William G. Pierce, Republican: No response.
David R. Smith, Republican: Could not reach him. The Ohio Republican Party has no contact information.
Sherrod Brown, Democrat, current District 13 U.S. representative:
“I am fully and completely in support of [same-sex] civil marriage,” wrote Brown. “In my view, there is no reason why the same legal benefits extended to opposite sex couples should not be extended to loving, committed same-sex couples.”
Brown also supports legislation to end federal taxation of domestic partner benefits, and to give non-citizen domestic partners the same residency and citizenship rights and benefits that married couples have.
He says public schools should have policies protecting LGBT students from harassment and discrimination in order to receive federal funds, and he supports legislation against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Brown says the federal government should also recognize state civil unions and domestic partnerships for federal benefits and taxes.
“I was one of fewer than 70 representatives to vote against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 because I believe the federal government should not discriminate in the administration of public programs on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity,” Brown wrote. “During my time on the Hill, I also cosponsored legislation that would grant same and opposite sex domestic partners of federal employees the same benefits to legal spouses of federal employees . . . And of course, in 2004, I voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.”
Brown defines civil rights as “Equal opportunity and treatment for all individuals, regardless of race, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
Merrill “Sam” Keiser, Jr., Democrat:
“I love the homosexual person as a fellow human being who is made in the image of God, but I do not accept or condone the homosexual behavior as an acceptable lifestyle,” Keiser wrote.
Keiser opposes legislation against employment discrimination by of sexual orientation and gender identity, and opposes requiring public schools to have policies protecting LGBT students in order to receive federal funds.
He opposes legislation to end federal taxation of domestic partner benefits, and opposes equality to married couples in immigration and citizenship applications.
“Homosexuality is not a ‘right’ or a ‘protected class,’ ” Keiser wrote. “Homosexuality is first and foremost an abomination in God’s eyes,” very similar to abortion, which he considers murder. “Whole societies have been destroyed because of this lifestyle. Think Sodom and Gomorrah. I do not want my society to continue down the road to sure destruction because of its acceptance of a small, but influential minority.”
This survey shows how diametrically opposed the two candidates are on this very divisive issue. Ohio Democrats and non-partisan voters have a real choice in this year's Democratic Primary Election in this and many other important issues.
Make A Good Choice tomorrow, vote Merrill S. Keiser for U.S. Senate.
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