Political Quotes

“representative Hefley's amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations for FY 1999 would prohibit any of the funds in this bill or any other act from being used to implement, administer or enforce Executive Order 13087, which prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against individuals in federal hiring or in the receipt of federal grants because of their sexual orientation. This is an unabashed and bald pro-discrimination provision. It has no place in federal law, and all who have worked for equality or even paid lip service to the notion should be offended that this amendment has been offered. Every employer in the United States has the responsibility to be proactive in removing discrimination. The President has acted responsibly as the CEO of the federal workplace. Unfortunately, there is great confusion among some Americans about homosexuality and, astonishingly, there are some who would deny people ordinary rights because of their sexual orientation. I had hoped that by now Americans could at least agree that private consensual sexual relationships bear no relationship to job performance and that even those who adopt the unscientific view that it is appropriate to manipulate sexual orientation in order to change it (imagine what most of us who are heterosexual would think if someone tried to change our sexual orientation) would agree that discrimination is always wrong and should be off limits.”