He has said that no we shouldn't recognize them, then that he would look at each individual right, then what he is saying now. I simply don't trust a man who has three positions on this in such a short career.
Here is the Cleveland Ohio Gay People's Chronicle on this:
Edwards for President; PO Box 300034; Raleigh, NC 27622; 919-785-1900
http://www.johnedwards2004.com /
Local contact: Christopher Smith; 614.268.4502; csmith1086@msn.com]
Freshman senator John Edwards of North Carolina has little record with the
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and has taken few public
positions on LGBT issues.
Following an initial e-mail saying that the Gay People’s Chronicle’s request
for information was “forwarded to the appropriate people,” the Edwards
campaign did not respond to additional e-mail or phone requests.
Edwards has been critical of other Democrats who, he says, want to “duck the
values debate” that is important to Southern voters. He says they are trying
to force the political debate beyond the “guns, God, and gays” rhetoric that
resonates among conservatives.
Political observers have said that a loss in Southern primaries would end
Edwards’ campaign.
Edwards’ web site has little on LGBT issues, and to find that requires an
extensive search. The most prominent item is a statement denouncing the
anti-gay Rev. Fred Phelps for trying to erect monuments in public places
declaring that Matthew Shepard had gone to hell.
Edwards was absent from a July candidate forum sponsored by the Human Rights
Campaign.
His HRC legislative score has improved from 71 percent in 2000 to 100
percent in 2002. The lower score resulted from Edwards avoiding
co-sponsorship of the gay and lesbian Employment Non-Discrimination Act and
the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
As a presidential candidate, Edwards has said he supports laws ending
workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and hate crimes.
Edwards was the keynote speaker of the Atlanta HRC dinner last May.
“I want to be very clear,” he told the audience there. “I will listen to
you. I will work with you and I will fight to protect your rights and to end
discrimination against gays and lesbians.”
Gay.com noted that Edwards’ Atlanta appearance was “an improvement over the
response he got in Los Angeles last year <2002> at a gay political
breakfast” where he was “uninformed and uneducated.”
According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Edwards strongly
opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposes an anti-marriage amendment to
the Constitution.
Edwards, however, has no position on the federal “defense of marriage act”
and is unclear on whether or not he supports civil unions.
In a response to an NGLTF survey, Edwards said, “I believe gay and lesbian
relationships should be treated with respect and should be extended benefits
under the law.”
Then, Edwards told the Boston Globe that “the issue should be left to
individual states.”
CNN has reported that Edwards favors gay men and women serving openly in the
military.
On edit I am really appalled at his lack of cosponsorship of such basic things like ENDA and hate crimes. That is very bad.
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