Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Congressman candid on LGBT topics
Extended for the Online Version of Windy City Times
by John Fenoglio
2009-03-18

This article shared 4052 times since Wed Mar 18, 2009
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


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.


This article shared 4052 times since Wed Mar 18, 2009
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Thailand parliament passes landmark marriage bill 2024-03-27
- On March 27, Thailand's parliament approved a marriage-equality bill by an overwhelmingly large margin—a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to legalizing same-sex unions, media ...


Gay News

Kara Swisher talks truth, power in tech at Chicago Humanities event 2024-03-25
- Lesbian author, award-winning journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher spoke about truth and power in the tech industry through the lens of her most recent book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, March 21 at First ...


Gay News

Wyoming is latest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors 2024-03-24
- On March 22, Wyoming became the latest state to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, The Hill noted. In doing so, it joined 23 other states that passed laws restricting or banning the treatment. Legislators in both ...


Gay News

Chicago alder proposes renaming street after Obama 2024-03-22
- Openly gay Black Chicago Ald. Lamont Robinson has proposed renaming Columbus Drive after former U.S. President and city resident Barack Obama, media outlets noted. The street stretches through the Loop from East Grand Avenue to DuSable ...


Gay News

Congressional Equality Caucus on FY24 bills passing the house 2024-03-22
--From a press release - WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), released the following statement after the House successfully passed the final funding bills for Fiscal Year ...


Gay News

WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds 2024-03-21
- It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist 2024-03-21
- Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ candidates Marcelino Garcia, Precious Brady Davis win primary elections to keep MWRD seats 2024-03-21
- Marcelino Garcia and Precious Brady-Davis, the two openly LGBTQ+ incumbents in the race to keep their seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), won their primary elections and will move on to the general this ...


Gay News

Small LGBTQ+ candidate pool nevertheless scores some important victories March 19 2024-03-20
- Relatively few openly LGBTQ+ candidates were running in the March 19 Illinois Primary Election. But there were some significant contests in play at the local, state and federal levels. Openly gay Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) ...


Gay News

Gay Irish prime minister to step down 2024-03-20
- In a surprise move, openly gay Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has announced his resignation, citing "personal and political, but mainly political reasons," according to CNN. Varadkar said he felt he was no longer ...


Gay News

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council sets a new course 2024-03-18
- Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council held its first meeting of the calendar year on Feb. 28 at City Hall in the Loop under the leadership of the recently appointed chair Jin-Soo Huh. The LGBTQ+ Advisory Council is ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Missouri measure, HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, judge, Texas schools 2024-03-15
- In Missouri, a newly proposed law could charge teachers and counselors with a felony and require them to register as sex offenders if they're found guilty of supporting transgender students who are socially transitioning, CNN noted. ...


Gay News

PASSAGES: Former Chicago Commission on Human Relations chair Clarence Wood 2024-03-13
- LGBTQ ally and former Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Chair and Commissioner Clarence N. Wood died March 5. He was 83. Wood was born April 14, 1940, in Alabama. While primarily raised in Alabama, Wood ...


Gay News

Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist David Mixner dies at 77 2024-03-12
- On March 11, longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist David Mixner—known for working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign but then splitting from him over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT)—died at age 77, The Advocate reported. ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund remembers co-founder David Mixner 2024-03-12
--From a press release - Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker released the following statement on the passing of LGBTQ+ civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund co-founder David Mixner: "Today, we lost David Mixner, a founding ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.