Tulsi Gabbard apologizes for past LGBT remarks in new video

[Eugene]

Source: The Hill

BY BRETT SAMUELS - 01/17/19 01:19 PM EST

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who announced last week plans to run for president in 2020, issued a lengthy apology on Thursday for her past comments and stances on LGBTQ issues.

The congresswoman shared a roughly four-minute video in which she explained her shift in views on gay rights and expressed regret for previously holding beliefs she described as "wrong" and "hurtful."

"I grew up knowing that every person is a child of God, and equally loved by God," she said. "I have always believed in the fundamental rights and equality of all people.

"But I also grew up in a socially conservative household, where I was raised to believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman," she continued. "For a period of my life I didn’t see the contradiction in those beliefs."

-snip-


Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/425865-tulsi-gabbard-apologizes-for-past-lgbt-remarks-in-new-video

---

Link to tweet

[ProudLib72]

1. Wrong answer, Sunshine

God, God, God...

I'm a victim of growing up in a conservative household.

[mahina]

2. It's nice she did this. If that were the only problem and if she didn't wait till she had.no choice

[hlthe2b]

4. How did she think this was not going to come up when she announced?

Then again, Gillibrand apparently thinks no one is going to dare ask her about Franken and her role in his departure.

[The Liberal Lion]

12. Amen to that

[mahina]

13. Right??

[Cha]

20. You might be interested in this from a

an article in Hawaii, Civil Beat, on TG.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2246716

[hlthe2b]

22. I adore Mazie Hirono-- Gabbard attacking her gives me a very similar feeling as when

I see someone attack John Lewis... Startling and unbelievably unacceptable.

Tulsi is her own worst enemy.

[Cha]

24. Yes, she is. Attacking Mazie Hirono falsely

like TG did.. just pissed more people off in Hawaii, who weren't exactly aware of who she can be.

Apparently she can't help herself.

[rpannier]

30. Don't know how I missed that story. I read Civil Beat

Another reason not to even consider supporting Gabbard
I like Sen Hirono.

Though for transparency, Gabbard lost me when she said she'd consider talking to il douche about being in the cabinet back in 2016-2017
If she had said (which I would have), "Of course I'd meet with Trump about a cabinet position, just so I could tell him 'No' to his face." I'd have been good with it, but she didn't

[hlthe2b]

3. ""I grew up knowing that every person is a child of God, and equally loved by God," she said.

"I have always believed in the fundamental rights and equality of all people.


Oh, really, Tulsi. Then how do you explain your family video:

Link to tweet

Somehow, I don't think this helps, Rep Gabbard... Apparently the above was HOW you were RAISED

[at140]

6. I can vote for a reformed and matured candidate

Like Tulsi Gabbard.

[hlthe2b]

8. when did that happen?

Up until 2012 she was clearly spouting very anti-LGBT viewpoints.

That said, I hope she has matured on this, but her ugly attacks on Obama and support and enablement for the genocidal dictator Bashar al-Assad is enough for me to discount her in any primary.

[at140]

18. From just couple of days ago after reading

all about her on DU because I believe in metamorphosis. My own views are much different now compared to my younger years. But the field is wide open, and no need to jump on any one particular candidate this early.

[Cha]

19. She is neither..

Link to tweet

Why Is Tulsi Gabbard Attacking Mazie Hirono?

The U.S. senator has wrongly been accused by her colleague from Hawaii of fomenting religious bigotry.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii, is under attack.

She stands for women, both as a champion of a woman’s right to choose and as a defender of those who have been sexually assaulted; she fought Trump and the Republicans in defense of the Affordable Care Act, against the Muslim ban and the Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination. She is being attacked because she has become one of the most eloquent and effective voices of the values Indivisible Hawaii cherishes.

The attack comes not only from rightwing ideologues, it now comes from Hawaii’s own member of the House of Representatives, Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat who on Friday announced her candidacy for the presidency. Her article in The Hill accuses Democratic Party members of the Senate Judiciary Committee of “fomenting religious bigotry” and “weaponizing religion” during their questioning of nominee Brian Buescher to the U.S. District Court in Nebraska.

snip//

Members of Indivisible Hawaii and other groups have visited Sen. Hirono’s offices, as well as those of the other members of Hawaii’s Congressional delegation, dozens of times since President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20, 2017, inauguration. We know firsthand that she has championed our beliefs because we have talked with her and her staff many times. We have followed her votes, watched her on television, read her Facebook Page and emails, and attended her town halls.

snip//

We witnessed what Gabbard did at, during, and after the Democratic Party Convention in 2016 to attack not Trump or the Republicans, but former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party. Since Trump’s election Gabbard’s silence in response to Trump’s efforts to dismantle the institutions of our democracy has been deafening and stands in stark contrast to Sen. Hirono’s forthright, clear and courageous actions to fight the racist, misogynist, and authoritarian actions of Trump and the GOP. The Hill article mimics her past behavior — why does she choose to do this again?

More..
https://www.civilbeat.org/2019/01/why-is-tulsi-gabbard-attacking-mazie-hirono/

[George II]

26. I wonder if Justice Democrats will target her in 2020? I doubt it very much.

[Cha]

29. Letting that one slide?!

[Eric J in MN]

34. For having bad positions before she was a Congresswoman? NT

NT

[at140]

33. Not good if Tulsi attacked sen Hirono personally

In your post I did not see the senators name, but all Democrats running for a national office should refrain from attacking any other docrat. The reason is simple, every politician has his/her constituency and we can't afford to have any democratic voters abstain.

At this early stage, I am keeping an open mind. There will be many debates and some gaffes coming our way before nomination is concluded.

But as I said before I believe in redemption and metamorphosis. Even some felons desreve a 2nd Chance if they have genuinely reformed.

I am relatively new to knowing much about candidate Gabbard. Based on what I am reading on DU, looks like Gabbard has miniscule chance of winning nomination. It won't matter to me who the 2020 nominee will be, they will get my vote. Because I will be voting against Trump.

[irisblue]

39. You are okay with a homophobe?

Wowsa

[at140]

40. No, I am not Ok with any intolerant person!

Which is why I am keeping an open mind. I know I have changed my outlook since I was very young. Tulsi claims she has evolved over LGBTQ issues. No one can see inside her mind, so I will not close her out unless I see new evidence otherwise.

I think it is not wise to attack any democratic politician. For the simple reason we can not afford to lose many voters. Every politician has their supporters. We must not disparage any democrats running for office because their supporters might just sit out on Election Day.

If you prefer other candidate, by all means sing their praises. But keep your attacks limited to the opposition party candidates.

[Fix The Stupid]

37. That is effed up.

Creepy video.

How much kool-aid does one have to drink to put that much energy and time into such nonsense?

And the whole damn family?

Gads...kind of speechless.

[msongs]

5. this is a PR campaign, not news or breaking nt

[Scruffy1]

9. Exactly.

We have a process last time I checked. All my life since the fifties I've watched candidates suddenly see the light and change their spiel every four years. It might be true.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Fighting with Gillibrand for last place, eh?

[hlthe2b]

10. I give Gabbi the edge on that, though if Gillibrand tries to answer for her role in "FRANKEN"...

in the same defiant, self-serving manner that she has up to now, all bets are off.

[LakeArenal]

16. Ditto!!!

[oldsoftie]

17. Well, over trump? yes, I'd vote for her.

[rpannier]

31. Very true

It's a low bar. One that I can easily step over.
But, that's the only way she'll get my vote (Primary or GE)

[lilactime]

14. She can never make me forget that vile video.

No matter how much she "apologizes."

[Aristus]

15. Oh. Well. That makes it all better...

[Honeycombe8]

21. I totally understand having a different opinion of gay marriage back in the day.

Most people were against gay marriage back in the day, preferring instead to agree with civil unions. They didn't believe that way w/hostility. The gay rights movement moved very quickly. It took the public (well, most of them) a while to catch up, get used to what was to them a new issue, see things differently, and come to a different opinion. Hopefully, we all grow and change with the times and as we become aware of others' situations.

But what I read she said was hostile to gays and those who wanted gay marriage and even civil unions. What she said was more than simply wanting to preserve the word "marriage" for its traditional meaning. Her words were anti-gay rhetoric and hurtful to gays, IMO.

I don't know that there's a way to overcome that. But I could be wrong.

[AlexSFCA]

28. she campaigned against civil unions not even marriage

[Honeycombe8]

32. That's what I read...well, that she included unions in her anti stance.

That was not the common view held by people who were still anti-marriage. Most people said, "Yeah, why not?" to civil unions. She called people supporting gay marriage & civil unions homosexual extremists, is what I read. That's an extremely hostile and derogatory statement against gays. That's more than taking a position on the marriage thing.

It's curious that she thinks this isn't a big issue when running as a Democrat. ???

[obamanut2012]

23. Not accepted, not believed

[George II]

25. Now that I'm running for president, if I offended anyone I'm sorry. If I didn't, I'm not sorry.

[Eric J in MN]

35. Tulsi Gabbard has been pro-gay Rights since she

...became a Congresswoman.

[yardwork]

36. Nio, she hasn't!

[Eric J in MN]

42. Tulsi Gabbard's votes on gay rights issues since she became a Congresswoman

...were all in support of gay rights.

[ADX]

27. I respect her military service...

...but that's about it.

We can do better. Much better...

[akraven]

38. I would never be able to trust her. nt

[hatrack]

41. That's nice . . . .

. . . . but not nice enough for me to give a shit.