Indiana Stonewall Democrats abstain from endorsing Brad Ellsworth as Bayh's replacement

[IndianaGreen]

Statement Regarding the Abstention on the Vote for Ellsworth

By ISD Admin on May 15, 2010 2:21 PM

For Immediate Release - - Today, the Indiana Stonewall Democrats (ISD) spoke resolutely and loudly by saying nothing on our ballot to determine Evan Bayh's successor for Democratic candidate for United States Senate.

To any who would question our commitment to the Democratic Party based on our abstention, we would respond with a simple question, "What does it mean to be a Democrat?"

We find our answer in the Indiana Democratic Party's 2008 platform, which includes the following statements:

As a party of the people, we strongly oppose restriction of opportunity to Hoosiers based on their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or economic background.

We also encourage legislation addressing hate crimes that would protect the freedom of all Hoosiers and create tougher penalties for those who infringe, criminally or otherwise, on those freedoms.

We must work to ensure that all people - without regard to race, religion gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or economic background - have the right to achieve the American dream. For the sake of current and future generations, it is our duty as Democrats to put an end to any injustices that threaten that goal.

We find further guidance in the Democratic National Committee's 2008 platform, which states:

We support the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the implementation of policies to allow qualified men and women to serve openly regardless of sexual orientation.

We support the full inclusion of all families, including same-sex couples, in the life of our nation, and support equal responsibility, benefits, and protections.

We believe it is time for the Democratic Party at all levels to live up to our expressed ideals.

Our abstention is born, in large part, from the frustration of feint support from the Indiana Democratic Party, which has taken our support for granted too long and shown no interest in developing ISD further.

We do not intend our abstention, in any manner, to be taken as support for Republican nominee Dan Coats. His objection to permitting highly-qualified gays and lesbians to serve in the armed services is well-documented, as is his historical hostility to the gay and lesbian community. Further, we doubt a high-paid, Washington, D.C. lobbyist is what average Hoosiers needs in this time of economic insecurity.

http://www.instonewalldems.org/2010/05/statement-regarding-the-abstention-on-the-vote-for-ellsworth.html

Ellsworth voted against hate crimes legislation to protect LGBTs, the Matthew Shepard Act that was signed by President Obama. Ellsworth is opposed to repeal of DADT and DOMA. To this date, Ellsworth has failed to meet with Indiana Equality, an umbrella organization that opposes discrimination of all forms against LGBTs.

[IndianaGreen]

1. kick because Ellsworth is the official nominee

even though he is still a homophobe and anti-choice.