2012 Democratic Platform ~ Moving America Foward
Protecting Rights and Freedoms Section (page 17 in some editions)
Civil Rights. We believe in an America where everybody gets a fair shot
and everybody plays by the same set of rules. At the core of the Democratic
Party is the principle that no one should face discrimination on the basis of
race, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, or disability status. Democrats support our civil
rights statutes and we have stepped up enforcement of laws that prohibit
discrimination in the workplace and other settings. We are committed to
protecting all communities from violence. We are committed to ending racial,
ethnic, and religious profiling and requiring federal, state, and local enforcement
agencies to take steps to eliminate the practice, and we continue to support
enforcement of Title VI. We are committed to equal opportunity for all
Americans and to making sure that every American is treated equally under the
law.
"Because of ‘Don't Ask, Don't
Tell,' each time I went off to war, no one was at the armory to say goodbye. No
one was waiting at the airport when I returned. My partner, George Di Salvo,
and I started a family five years ago by adopting two wonderful boys. But I
kept their existence secret, because that's what the law required. Not anymore,
however. Thanks to the unyielding efforts of President Obama, I can serve my
country openly and proudly with my family by my side."—Dr. Vito
Imbasciani, Colonel, California National Guard, Medical Service Corps
We
are committed to ensuring full equality for women: we reaffirm our support for
the Equal Rights Amendment, recommit to enforcing Title IX, support the
Paycheck Fairness Act, and will urge ratification of the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
We know that putting America back to work is Job One, and we are committed to
ensuring that Americans do not face employment discrimination. We support the
Employment Non- Discrimination Act because people should not be fired based on
their sexual orientation or gender identity.
President Obama and the Democratic
Party are committed to ensuring all Americans are treated fairly. This
administration hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying
Prevention and we must continue our work to prevent vicious bullying of young
people and support LGBT youth. The President's record, from ending "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" in full cooperation with our military leadership, to
passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to
ensuring same-sex couples can visit each other in the hospital, reflects
Democrats' belief that all Americans deserve the same chance to pursue
happiness, earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country,
and take care of the ones they love. The Administration has said that the word
‘family' in immigration includes LGBT relationships in order to protect
bi-national families threatened with deportation.
Women. President Obama—the son of a single mother and the father
of two daughters—understands that women aren't a special interest group. They
are more than half of this country, and issues that affect women also affect
families. That is why the first bill he signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter
Fair Pay Act, which helps women fight back when they are paid less than men,
and why we continue to fight to overcome Republican opposition and pass the
Paycheck Fairness Act to help stop gender discrimination in pay before it
starts. And that is why the Justice Department and Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, led by President Obama's appointees, have investigated and
prosecuted numerous violations of the nation's civil rights laws, and obtained
more than $140 million in relief for victims of gender discrimination. We
Democrats will continue to support efforts to ensure that workers can combat
gender discrimination in the workplace and to protect women against pregnancy
discrimination. And that's why we support passing the Healthy Families Act,
broadening the Family and Medical Leave Act, and partnering with states to move
toward paid leave.
We understand that economic issues are
women's issues, and the challenges of supporting and raising a family are often
primarily a woman's responsibility. That's why putting Americans back to work
is Job One. That's why the Affordable Care Act especially helps women by
guaranteeing they and their families won't become uninsured when they lose
their jobs. That's why this administration strengthened Medicare and Medicaid
for millions of women and families. And that's why the Affordable Care Act is
ending health insurance discrimination against women, and provides women with
free access to preventive care, including prenatal screenings, mammograms,
cervical cancer screening, breast-feeding supports, and contraception.
"I know firsthand the injustice of
gender discrimination in pay: for years I was paid less than my male
colleagues, and it took an anonymous note from a colleague to tip me off to the
fact that I was being denied equal pay for equal work. I also know firsthand
that President Obama takes these issues seriously: the first bill that he
signed into law was focused on making sure that other women don't face the same
injustice. While the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act won't change my story, I
couldn't be prouder of the legislation that bears my name, and I know who is
standing up for women and families."—Lilly Ledbetter
We
understand that women's rights are civil rights. That's why we reaffirm our
support for the ERA, recommit to enforcing Title IX, and will urge ratification
of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women. That's why we are committed to ending
violence against women, why Vice President Joe Biden originally wrote and championed
the Violence Against Women Act during his time in the Senate, and why we
support reauthorizing and strengthening it now.
The President and the Democratic Party
believe that women have a right to control their reproductive choices.
Democrats support access to affordable family planning services, and President
Obama and Democrats will continue to stand up to Republican efforts to defund
Planned Parenthood health centers. The Affordable Care Act ensures that women
have access to contraception in their health insurance plans, and the President
has respected the principle of religious liberty. Democrats support
evidence-based and age-appropriate sex education.