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Deval Patrick on Civil Rights
Democrat
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Today in Massachusetts, you can marry whomever you love
We Democrats owe America more than a strong argument for what we are against. We need to be just as strong about what we are for. Today in Massachusetts, you can also marry whomever you love. We
Democrats believe that freedom means keeping government out of our most private affairs, including out of a woman's decision whether to keep an unwanted pregnancy and everybody's decision about whom to marry.
We believe that we owe the next generation a better country than we found and that every American has a stake in that. We believe that in times like these we should turn to each other, not on each other.
We believe that government has a role to play, not in solving every problem in everybody's life but in helping people help themselves to the American dream. That's what Democrats believe.
Source: 2012 Democratic National Convention speech
, Sep 4, 2012
Supports equal marriage rights for gays
A man carrying a red Bible to the microphone asked, How could Patrick support gay marriage if God doesn’t? Patrick treaded carefully. He said that the law should regard everyone as equals, regardless of their sexual orientation. Patrick added that people
are far less concerned about gay marriage than about paying their rent and heating bills. ’’I am not going to pander to anybody for anything,“ Patrick said. ‘’I respect differences of opinion, but I have a point of view which I think is right on the
law and right as a matter of fundamental fairness.“
Ultimately, said Melvin B. Miller, publisher and editor of the Bay State Banner, a newspaper serving the black community, many people will decide that it’s foolish not to support Patrick because of
gay marriage. ‘’I mean, we’re not going to support a candidate of those qualifications? That’s not good enough?” said Miller, himself an opponent of same-sex marriage. ‘’That’s ridiculous.“
Source: Scott Helman, Boston Globe, p. A1
, Jan 15, 2006
Former civil rights prosecutor under President Clinton
Patrick, a former civil rights prosecutor under President Clinton, makes clear he doesn’t want to be defined by his race, and he believes white voters care just as deeply about everything he talks about. ‘’Yes, I’m a black man. I know that.
Other people know that. I’m proud of that. I’m completely at ease with that,“ he said in the interview. ‘’But that’s not all I am.” He tells the crowd, ‘’I do need to be not just the first black governor, but the best governor you’ve ever had.“
Source: Scott Helman, Boston Globe, p. A1
, Jan 15, 2006
Close the racial and ethnic gap in health
Evidence shows that disparities remain in the delivery of health services based on race and ethnic origin. This is unacceptable in Massachusetts. I will implement recommendations developed by public health experts to end inequities in care.
Under my leadership, Massachusetts will be the first state to close the racial and ethnic gap in health.
Source: Moving Massachusetts Forward, Patrick’s policy booklet, p.12
, Sep 15, 2005
Crafted “mend it, don’t end it” for affirmative action
Q: You’re credited with crafting the administration’s “mend it, don’t end it” approach to affirmative action. What needed to be mended? A: As in any program with good intentions, particular means of using affirmative action principles are subverted,
and are not functioning very well. And so we ended [such] programs. But we do believe that affirmative action can be done a right way; that on the whole it has been done the right way.
Q: You said that you think it’s still necessary.
I assume that’s because we don’t have a colorblind society.
A: I think it is a complete ruse to suggest that declaring ourselves colorblind in law is going to cause us to be colorblind in fact. I think that there will come a day as long as we
remind ourselves of fundamental American values, of equality, opportunity and fair play, when we will set aside the kind of negative attention that the differences in this country sometimes--sometimes bring. But we are not there yet.
Source: Elizabeth Farnsworth interview on PBS Newshour
, Jan 10, 1997
Page last updated: Apr 25, 2013
