The Dolphin Democrats - Chartered by the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM ON FEDERAL BENEFITS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION, AND SUPPORT OF THE LIEBERMAN-BALDWIN BENEFITS LEGISLATION

In 2007, Michael Guest, the first openly gay Ambassador confirmed by the United States Senate, resigned from the Foreign Service. He loved his career, but he had to leave it in the end -- because he believed that the country he served was failing to implement the principles of equality it espoused abroad. His partner was ineligible for training provided to Ambassadorial spouses; he bore the costs of his partner's transportation to his placements abroad; and his partner did not receive the overseas benefits and allowances given to spouses of Ambassadors.

It is too late to prevent Ambassador Guest from having to make the choice he made, but today I am proud to issue a Presidential Memorandum that will go a long way toward achieving equality for many of the hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic LGBT Americans serving in our Federal Government -- Americans like Ambassador Guest. In consultation with Secretary Clinton, who in her role as Secretary of State oversees our foreign service employees, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, who oversees human resource management for our civil service employees, my Administration has identified a number of areas in which greater equality can be achieved under existing law by extending to the same-sex partners of Federal employees many of the same benefits already available to the spouses of heterosexual Federal employees. I am therefore requesting the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend the benefits they have identified to the same-sex partners of Federal employees where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. I am also requesting the heads of all other executive departments and agencies to conduct a review of the benefits they administer to determine which may legally be extended to same-sex partners.

But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.

I am also proud to announce my support for an important piece of legislation introduced in both Houses of Congress last month -- the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. This legislation will extend to the same-sex partners of Federal employees the same benefits already enjoyed by the opposite-sex spouses of Federal employees. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors in both Houses of Congress, but among those many sponsors, I want to recognize one in particular -- Representative Tammy Baldwin, who has been a real leader on this issue, and more broadly on the LGBT struggle for equality. Representative Baldwin, I look forward to working with you to achieve the important objectives set out in this bill as it moves through the legislative process. I also look forward to working with the bill's Senate champions, Senators Lieberman and Collins; I know that they will approach this process with the same spirit of cooperation in pursuit of our shared goals that they bring to all of their work in the Senate.

Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do. It is also sound economic policy. Many top employers in the private sector already offer benefits to the same-sex partners of their employees; those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The Federal Government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue.

As Americans, we are all affected when our promises of equality go unfulfilled. Through measures like the Presidential Memorandum I am issuing today and the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, we will advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded and continue to perfect our Union.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Dump the Pump on Thursday June 18th

Hello everyone:

Are you tired of paying skyrocketing prices at the gas pump? In these tough economic times everyone is looking to save wherever they can. Using public transportation is one of the best alternatives to beat high gas prices. On Thursday, June 18^th Broward County will join transit systems across the county to celebrate National Dump the Pump Day.

The day is designed to encourage people to get out of their cars and ride public transportation to raise awareness of the financial benefits of transit. Public transportation has the ability to save people money, conserve gasoline, and reduce the harmful greenhouse gases emitted into our environment.

It has been reported that households with two workers and one car that use public transportation save $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation.

To find the most direct bus route to take to your office or school, go to http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/transit/#mdy. This is a great tool that will tell you ALL the information you will need to effectively utilize public transportation for your commute.

We would love to hear about your experience. South Florida Commuter Services is asking that you contact them at http://1800234ride.com/ and share your thoughts.

I hope you join thousands of other South Floridians in Dumping the Pump!

Kristin

Kristin Jacobs, Commissioner

Broward County, District 2

954-357-7002

Friday, June 12, 2009

BSO LAUNCHES COUNCIL FOR DIVERSITY

BSO LAUNCHES COUNCIL FOR DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Dr. Henry W. Mack, PhD. Names Independent Advisory Panel

to Review Internal and External Issues Affecting Equality in Law Enforcement

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Dr. Henry W. Mack, PhD. has named the members of the newly-formed Council for Diversity and Equal Opportunity (CDEO), an independent body whose aim is to assist BSO in dealing with internal and external issues affecting equal opportunity and representation of all Broward County citizens in law enforcement.

“My commitment to the safety of the citizens of Broward County has always been clear,” Sheriff Al Lamberti said. “But I want to be sure our processes and procedures ensure fairness and equality in all dealings with BSO. Broward is the most diverse county in Florida, and BSO must be trained and prepared to support and defend the cultural diversity of our citizens.”

The new Council has wide latitude in its mission, including but not limited to:

· Reviewing Equal Opportunity policies and procedures of BSO and Fire Rescue and identifying trends; reviewing the Minority/Women’s Business Enterprise utilization of BSO and Fire Rescue as well as the MBE/WBE certification process; reviewing hiring practices of BSO and Fire Rescue; determining why candidates prefer to work for other law enforcement agencies; and reviewing the existing organization chart to determine reasonable diversity at executive and upper levels of both organizations.

· Assessing the Diversity in the composition of the hate crimes and other tactical units of BSO; establishing a fixed liaison with the BSO Hate Crimes Task Force headed by Cmdr. Rick Wierzbicki; determining the extent to which cultural characteristics are considered in tactical decisions and rules of engagement; and identifying cultural trends which affect the mission of BSO.

· Assessing the Effectiveness of diversity training in the respective academies of BSO and Fire Rescue; assessing continuous diversity training in both agencies as a matter of practice and determining the need for contracted diversity training by outside professional providers; determining the diversity considerations used in promotions in both agencies.

· Performing a Comparative Analysis of the diversity polices and procedures of other comparable agencies with those of BSO and Fire Rescue.

· Serving as an Investigative Resource to BSO and Fire Rescue when requested and appropriate.

CDEO, page 2

The Council for Diversity and Equal Opportunity is chaired by Dr. Henry W. Mack, a renowned civil rights fighter for over 60 years. Mack was among the first African Americans integrated into regular Army units when the military services were integrated by President Harry Truman’s Executive Order 9981, and he retired from the US Army after 20 years in the grade of Major. Mack has continued to serve South Florida through numerous community activities, including as Chairman of Broward County Public Safety Coordinating Council; Chairman of Broward County Schools Audit Committee for 10 years; Chairman, Emeritus, and Board of Directors of 211-First Call For Help of Broward County, Inc.; Past Chairman and Member of Dade County Public Schools, Audit Committee for 25 years; and Past Member, Board of Directors of Miami Children’s Hospital. He was one of the founders of Miami Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

“I’m pleased we have the full faith of Sheriff Lamberti. The high caliber of our Council members gives me confidence that we’ll fulfill our large mission,” Mack said. “We’ve drawn our members from the many communities that inhabit Broward County so that we’re hearing many voices as we move forward.”

Council members include:

· Dr. Henry W. Mack, Chair

· Jocelyn Carter-Miller, Vice Chair; President, TechEd Ventures, Lauderhill

· Jessica G. Roy, MSW, Secretary; C2P Coordinator, Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Fort Lauderdale

· Stephen Gaskill, Public Information Officer; communications and political consultant, Fort Lauderdale

· Cmdr. Michael Calderin, BSO

· Roland Foulkes, Social-Cultural Anthropologist; Chair, Diversity Committee, School Board of Broward County

· Cindy Guerra, Regional Deputy Attorney General for South Florida, Fort Lauderdale

· Commissioner Al Jones, Dania Beach

· Alan J. Levy, President, Great American Farms, Fort Lauderdale

· Jose “Pepe” Lopez, Pembroke Pines

· Frank Nieves, President, Puerto Rico Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Broward County

· Major Diljit Singh Pannu, Fort Lauderdale

· Michael Emanuel Rajner, Social Worker; Community Activist and gay man living with AIDS

· Rabbi Ancel Salamon

· Urbano Santos, Community Organizer

· Dr. Joseph Valbrun, Pastor, Temple Messianique, Fort Lauderdale

· Dean Williams, BSO

CDEO initially has seven committees, including: Equal Opportunity, MBE/WBE Utilization; Hiring Practices and Procedures; Tactical Unit Assessment; Diversity Training; External Agency Analysis; Investigations; and Community Outreach and Involvement. The Council plans to meet monthly.

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Down Load:
CDEO.doc

Monday, June 01, 2009

Hillary Clinton Recognizes Stonewall, Gay and Lesbian Pride Month

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has released a statement recognizing June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

Clinton It reads:

"Forty years ago this month, the gay rights movement began with the Stonewall riots in New York City, as gays and lesbians demanded an end to the persecution they had long endured. Now, after decades of hard work, the fight has grown into a global movement to achieve a world in which all people live free from violence and fear, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"In honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and on behalf of the State Department, I extend our appreciation to the global LGBT community for its courage and determination during the past 40 years, and I offer our support for the significant work that still lies ahead.

"At the State Department and throughout the Administration, we are grateful for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Washington and around the world. They and their families make many sacrifices to serve our nation. Their contributions are vital to our efforts to establish stability, prosperity and peace worldwide.

"Human rights are at the heart of those efforts. Gays and lesbians in many parts of the world live under constant threat of arrest, violence, even torture. The persecution of gays and lesbians is a violation of human rights and an affront to human decency, and it must end. As Secretary of State, I will advance a comprehensive human rights agenda that includes the elimination of violence and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"Though the road to full equality for LGBT Americans is long, the example set by those fighting for equal rights in the United States gives hope to men and women around the world who yearn for a better future for themselves and their loved ones.

"This June, let us recommit ourselves to achieving a world in which all people can live in safety and freedom, no matter who they are or whom they love."