WASHINGTON – During her 2006 run for Governor, Sarah Palin filled out an Alaska Eagle Forum questionnaire that reveals even more about her stance and view on equality for LGBT equality.
One of the questions the conservative group asked her on the questionnaire was her views on expanding hate crimes laws. The question reads, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crimes laws?”
Palin answered, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.”
Another question from the same survey asked, “Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?”
Palin answered, “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.”
And last, but not least, Palin was asked what her top three priorities, as regards to families, would be while Governor.
Palin answered, “#2 - Preserving the definition of ‘marriage’ as defined in our constitution.”
“I’d say we have a pretty definitive understanding of where Sarah Palin stands on issue of equality for our community. Sarah Palin is against recognizing our relationships, against domestic partner benefits, and against hate crimes laws. She championed that her second top priority in office would be preserving an anti-gay definition of marriage. The more we find out about her record, the more frightening her record becomes,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
The full questionnaire and answers can be found here...
When asked about the right-wing’s reaction to the choice of Gov Palin, the New York Times quoted Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition as saying, “They’re beyond ecstatic”.
Highlights of Governor Palin’s Anti-Equality Record
· Prior to being elected governor, Palin supported the 1998 constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state supreme court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees
· She is close to “traditional values” groups, like Family Research Council, because she is strongly anti-choice
Marriage and Relationship Recognition
· Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment on marriage.
· In addition, she told the Daily News that she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, which were ordered by an October 2005 decision of the Alaska Supreme Court, because, she said “honoring the family structure is that important." http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html
· While she followed the Court’s decision and he also signed legislation –her first legislative act as Governor of Alaska—to put the issue on the April 2007 ballot for a nonbinding advisory vote. This was the only issue on the ballot and that election cost the state taxpayers $1.2 million. This measure passed, but the legislature did not follow the public’s advice and it chose not to take any further action to overturn the court’s decision.
· She did, however, veto legislation passed by the state legislature in 2006 that would have prohibited providing DP benefits to state workers, in defiance of the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling. She did this after the Supreme Court had already ruled and the Attorney General (Republican) advised her that the legislation was unconstitutional. Palin went on to state that, as a matter of policy, she was in favor of the bill.
Ties to Anti-LGBT Groups
· She will be honored alongside anti-gay Representative Michelle Bachman (R-MN) at an event at the 2008 Republican Convention, the “Life of the Party,” sponsored in part by long-time opponent of GLBT rights, Phyllis Schlafly.
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