With so many big problems in our country, a lot of politicians would find themselves between a rock and a hard place if they chose to rally behind hot-button social issues, like equitable rights for LGBT people. Jumping on the transgender bandwagon often makes them more nervous. Not so in southern Illinois. Meet U.S. Congressman Philip Hare. He's a straight shooter when it comes to supporting the entire gay community, saying, "It's about equality, stupid." Congressman Hare—a lifelong Democrat, husband and father of two—represents Illinois' 17th District, a swath of the west-central part of the state that includes cities such as Sterling, Rock Island and Springfield.
Windy City Times: Congressman Hare, tell me a little about the diversity of the people in Illinois' 17th District.
Phil Hare: It's a very diverse district; huge, too. We have a lot of industry and agriculture, although not nearly as much as we used to. It's pretty socially conservative in some areas, too, particularly in southern parts of the district but, ya know, they're good people.
WCT: With respect to LGBT legislative issues, does that conservative element within your district make your job more difficult?
PH: Look, they're good people. I think when you talk about issues to people instead of preaching to them, you talk about fairness; they get it. They're fair-minded, decent people. They don't always agree with me, but that's part of the business and that's OK.
WCT: Discuss some of the mainstream agenda items that are most important to you in the 111th Congress.
PH: I would say the economy, healthcare and education. There are so many issues, but those are front and center. If you don't have a job, it's very hard to put your kids through school. We have 2 million homes either in foreclosure or awaiting foreclosure. My sister lost her eye when she was a kid, and I know how expensive that was for my parents. And, if we don't invest in education we will pay a huge price down the road. We've got to stop the hemorrhaging of job losses. We've got to get people to be able to stay in their homes and negotiate a descent, prolonged rate so they can stay where they are. And, we can't have 50 million people without healthcare. To me, I've always viewed healthcare as a fundamental right, not a privilege. Every person ought to have it.
WCT: So then, with all this already on your plate, why get behind such sensitive social and political issues, like LGBT rights?
PH: I will tell you: When Matthew Shepard's mom came and spoke at our caucus on the hate-crimes bill, she had the police chief—the one that found Matthew—talk to us. He said that the only place on Matthew's face there wasn't blood was where the tears were coming down. To me, I can't tolerate racism and bigotry or people being discriminated for any reason. To me this is about people, all people in this country. Nobody gets left behind. I tell people—the conservatives, too—that if you believe in this constitution where everybody's treated equally, then let's treat them equally.
WCT: What's on your radar, in terms of legislation regarding the LGBT community?
PH: I want to see the transgender people added back into the ENDA [ Employment Non-Discrimination Act ] . I want to be sure that we strengthen hate-crimes laws. You know, my niece and her partner have a baby and they love that child. And when you see the happiness there, I don't know why we get so worried about whether or not gays, lesbians and transgender aught to be able to adopt. I see my niece, who's a wonderful young woman, and she's a firefighter, and she and her partner have a baby and it's a beautiful child and I think it's awesome.
WCT: You're saying your niece has a female partner?
PH: Yes. I have a lot of nieces and nephews but I don't see her as my lesbian niece. She's my niece. … It's wonderful to see how happy they are, and they're great parents and this kid is so lucky to have them for parents. It's this fear, like fear of the unknown; that's what it is. People don't understand it. I don't claim to understand it. I just say my niece is happy and people have a right to happiness. And I don't know why it's made out to be such a big deal; ya know, the religious people who get so fanatical over this stuff.
WCT: Let's talk about [ ENDA ] . It sounds like you're for a trans-inclusive ENDA. What do you say to social conservatives and your own constituents who oppose a trans-inclusive ENDA?
PH: I say, "Be not afraid." The underlying purpose to all of this is equality. Remember when Bill Clinton was president and he said, "It's the economy, stupid?" From my perspective it is equality, stupid. You can't say to people, "Everybody but you." I say to conservatives, to people in my caucus, to people on the other side of the aisle—they're so worried, politically, that their voters will take it out on them—is it the right thing to do or are you just here to get re-elected? If they're just here to get re-elected, they could take easy votes all day long. They say these are tough votes. What's tough about them? What is tough about telling somebody who is transgender that you want to include them so that they are never discriminated against in the workplace?
WCT: It may not be tough for politicians to publicly or privately say that trans people deserve fairness in the workplace, but for those same politicians to actually vote for a trans-inclusive ENDA is a different story. Politicians do worry about being re-elected. That's just politics.
In addition to representing Illinois 17th District, you're also a regional whip to the House Democratic leadership. As the Region 4 whip, you're responsible for getting House members in Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri and Oklahoma to unify on important votes. What do you say to those politicians in your region who are concerned with being re-elected and are also worried that the "T" in LGBT will tip the scales of public opinion against the passage of ENDA?
PH: I tell them that if you leave it out, you're playing into the very hands of the people who are spending all this money to demonize another group of people, who are, from my perspective, all God's creatures. I say to people, "Who's next?" What if this were Hispanics? What if this were women? Leaving people out is leaving people out. To pass that bill, but leave those people out, is to sin by silence. This job is not worth having if I have to take what I consider to be fundamental human rights away from people or withhold them from people. I've always been a firm believer that everybody sits at the table or nobody sits at the table. You have to be pragmatic in this business. I'm pragmatic enough to know that this is going to be very uphill but it doesn't mean you give up, either. I don't mean I'm a Polly Pureheart; otherwise, I'd never be able to vote "yes" on anything because no piece of legislation is perfect in any way.
WCT: What's your position on gay marriage versus civil unions?
PH: I support civil unions. I just want to see people afforded the same opportunities. I would hope that my niece and her partner would be afforded the same benefits as a married couple.
WCT: But you don't support gay marriage?
PH: I don't support a constitutional amendment defining what marriage is. The other side always wants to amend the Constitution when they don't get their way. This Constitution is fine the way it is.
WCT: In your opinion, have Log Cabin Republicans made it easier or more difficult for LGBT issues to be heard by the Republican Party?
PH: Well, they've been sort of ostracized from the Republican Party, when you've got a guy like [ Rush ] Limbaugh, who's taken over the Republican Party. These are folks who may be conservative on issues like taxes and things, but you talk about being locked out now; that party has gone so far to the right. Now they're looking at Rush to be their savior. Seriously? I've noticed one thing; the moderates are an endangered species in the Congress of the United States. Show me one instance where they've even been offered an olive branch. I feel bad for those folks. I think there's no place for them in the Republican Party right now. We'll take 'em.
WCT: When it comes to immigration, are you familiar with the unique hurdles that LGBT people face? What can you do to make immigration and naturalization easier for LGBT people?
PH: No, I'm really not. I think we have to come up with a comprehensive immigration plan. You know, that's probably not going to be done comprehensively. I think we're going to be seeing it done in segments. That's an issue that nobody wants to touch because the mere mention of the word "immigration"... You think "transgender" will get people going—say "immigration" and everybody runs from it. We should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, but I don't think you're going to see immigration brought up. If it comes up in this session I'd be absolutely amazed.
WCT: You were in the Army Reserves. How do you feel about the "don't ask, don't tell" policy?
PH: It's nonsense. It's got to go.
WCT: Have you ever experienced any political backlash for supporting gay issues?
PH: No, not yet. I expect to. I am who I am and I'm not going to change. I'll listen to both sides of an issue, but these are fundamental to me, human rights issues. I believe God created everybody equally. I know one thing: When Christ was living he hung around lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, thieves; if it was good enough for him, it aught to be good enough for all of us.
WCT: What legacy, in terms of political impact, would you like to leave behind for the gay community?
PH: I don't know about a legacy. If I were to retire tomorrow and not run, I would just hope that people would say that I went to Congress with a core set of values and he never gave them up the whole time he was there. If people would say about me, after I'm done with all this, that Phil was a real decent guy and he never thought he was better than anybody, that would be a real compliment to me.
WCT: What's next for you? Any other political aspirations?
PH: No. We've been hammered politically here with Burris and the former governor, and I think that hasn't helped us. I'd like to see this state back up on its feet, not just economically but also politically. You know, Illinois has been the joke for a lot of people, but this is a wonderful state with good people. Blagojevich, for all of his talk, was an absolute idiot, and that is the nicest thing I can say about him. I think he's hurt this state, not just economically, but politically. I want us back on track.