Republican senator Orrin Hatch urges party to 'protect LGBT people'

"The Utah senator, who will retire from the role in January after 41 years—nearly half of his 84-year-long life—told the Senate in his formal goodbye on Wednesday (December 12) that Republicans should fight for queer rights as well as religious freedoms."


https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/12/13/orrin-hatch-republican-lgbt/

Pink News/by Josh Jackman 
13th December 2018, 5:08 PM

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Signs of the times. We're making progress in society.

The senator, who is Mormon, also said earlier this year that "LGBT youth deserve our unwavering love and support," especially in light of the "suicide epidemic" in the US. "These young people need us — and we desperately need them," he continued.

The senator also made this rather elegant statement:

"We need their light to illuminate the richness and diversity of God's creations. We need the grace, beauty, and brilliance they bring to the world."

I have never been a religious person, but it was awesome to see a statement like this from the senator. It does indeed give me hope.

Sorry to sound cynical, but its amusing that these guys only talk like this after they announce their retirement.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on December 18, 2018, 05:15:31 AM
The senator, who is Mormon, also said earlier this year that "LGBT youth deserve our unwavering love and support," especially in light of the "suicide epidemic" in the US. "These young people need us — and we desperately need them," he continued.

The senator also made this rather elegant statement:

"We need their light to illuminate the richness and diversity of God's creations. We need the grace, beauty, and brilliance they bring to the world."

I have never been a religious person, but it was awesome to see a statement like this from the senator. It does indeed give me hope.

Indeed. Thanks for sharing this.

Quote from: JudiBlueEyes on December 18, 2018, 08:53:38 AM
Sorry to sound cynical, but its amusing that these guys only talk like this after they announce their retirement.

Point taken, but I see it as an elder statesman leaving a message for those who follow. With age comes wisdom. In the spirit of the season, even old Ebenezer Scrooge saw the light eventually. 

On a separate note, how telling it is of human nature that when we were given a new site policy allowing for the bashing of Republican politicians, it went on for four painful days and four pages. Yet when we are offered a chance to acknowledge the good, there is only one reply in that vein.

Hugs, Devlyn

The site policy was that we can't support anti-LGBT politicians, not that we can't support Republicans.

Additionally, what did this guy actually do during his decades-long career to promote LGBT rights?

Quote from: JudiBlueEyes on December 18, 2018, 08:53:38 AM
Sorry to sound cynical, but its amusing that these guys only talk like this after they announce their retirement.

Politicians are not allowed to criticise their party's policy or they will be removed from the party for disloyalty.  After they have annouced their retirement, the party no longer holds that threat over them.

"Yet when we are offered a chance to acknowledge the good, there is only one reply in that vein."

While this forum is a microcosm of society in general, I think membership skews toward the liberal side.   I applaud Sen, Hatch's statement but his former long stated position cannot be denied.  I'm all for becoming enlightened as we open our minds and hearts.  I hope that others listen and heed his words.   

Quote from: Lucca on December 19, 2018, 09:35:18 AM
The site policy was that we can't support anti-LGBT politicians, not that we can't support Republicans.

Additionally, what did this guy actually do during his decades-long career to promote LGBT rights?

From Wikipedia. I'm not cherry picking, I copied the good and the bad. Clearly his position has changed over the years, which I believe happens to many of us.

LGBT issues   Edit
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that in 1977, Hatch told students from the University of Utah, "I wouldn't want to see homosexuals teaching school anymore than I'd want to see members of the American Nazi Party teaching school."[85] Hatch supported the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.

In 2012, Hatch recommended and supported District Court Judge Robert Shelby, a Barack Obama appointee, though Utah Senator Mike Lee, voted against him in the Judiciary Committee. In 2013 Shelby overturned Utah's ballot Amendment 3, which constitutionally defined marriage as between a man and a woman.[86][87][88]

In April 2013, Hatch stated that he viewed same-sex marriage as "undermining the very basis of marital law", but declined to support a Federal Marriage Amendment and endorsed same-sex couples' right to form a civil union, stating that the law should "give gay people the same rights as married people".[89] Later that same year, Hatch voted in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, legislation creating protected classes for those identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.[90][91] In 2018, Hatch "honored Pride" by giving a speech in support of programs to help and serve LGBT youth.

Yeah, I actually just looked up his Wikipedia page and came here to post about it. It looks like he had a decent record towards the end, for a Republican at least. A step in the right direction, at least for gay rights.

Quote from: JudiBlueEyes on December 19, 2018, 10:23:42 AM
"Yet when we are offered a chance to acknowledge the good, there is only one reply in that vein."

While this forum is a microcosm of society in general, I think membership skews toward the liberal side.   I applaud Sen, Hatch's statement but his former long stated position cannot be denied.  I'm all for becoming enlightened as we open our minds and hearts.  I hope that others listen and heed his words.   

I think society in general is swinging our way. I'll risk sounding like a broken record, in my home state of Massachusetts, an LGBTIQ bill of rights was signed into law by a Republican governor. It's never good to generalize and speak in absolutes, even if part of a majority that skews one way or the other.

We live in a bipolar country. These are the two main options Republican or Democrat. Where are the solid candidates that are Moderate like me that are viable candidates?

hot or cold
sweet or sour

At least he said something!

Clearly, as time goes by and we're (LGBTQIA) still here, more and more of their (Repubs) own family members come out. So it's starting to hit closer to home. Think McCain's daughter. It's finally happening. Imagine Hatch looks into the eyes of a Trans/Gay/Queer great-grandson/daughter and sees his own eyes.

The cynical me says nawwww - they're just shrewd politicians and are thinking about how to hold onto power. The LGBT community may be marginal but it's way smarter than the average hetero-cis-normative-douche-bag American. <Sorry, pride showing there>.