Dan Quayle on Civil Rights

	Dan Quayle on Civil Rights Vice President of the U.S., 1989-1993; Former Republican Senator (IN)

1989: Misquoted United Negro College Fund's slogan

The President had saddled himself with a VP who was even more gaffe prone than he was. Dan Quayle had addressed the United Negro College Fund, whose slogan is "A mind is a terrible thing to waste," by saying: "You take the United Negro College Fund model that what a waste it is to lose one's mind or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." Source: The Family, by Kitty Kelley, p.483 , Sep 14, 2004

Oppose quotas but push for black support

It’s best for American minorities in urban areas to look skeptically at the Democratic Party, which has fostered a mind-set that breeds economic servility & social decay. The Democrats are still offering quota-ridden legal tinkering to combat massive social dislocation.

That’s what happened in 1990, when they put forth a bill mandating racial quotas in certain areas of hiring. They never used the word quota, and they swore up & down that the bill didn’t involve quotas, but that’s exactly what it amounted to, in all its pointlessness. It wouldn’t give a single job to anyone.

[The GOP] should keep pushing initiatives that rely on the free market and personal responsibility--like proposals to turn public-housing tenants into owners of their own apartments. Our other real hope is to try to attract a new generation of black Republicans who are as tired of the Democrats’ “civil rights” sloganeering as earlier activists were of waiting for segregationists to change their minds.

Source: Standing Firm, by Dan Quayle, p.292-293 , Jul 2, 1994

Traditional family values instead of support for gay rights

In April, 1989, some parents in [a gay activist group] in Charlotte, North Carolina picketed Vice President Dan Quayle when he made a speech to a local fundamentalist group, "The Concerned Charlotteans," organized, they say, to promote traditional family values.

They spend most of their time promoting hatred for homosexuals and people who support gay rights. The Concerned Charlotteans also devote energy to promoting prayer in school, to closing adult book stores, to censoring books in the libraries, and trying to ban abortion clinics, state lotteries and alcohol sales. Jesse Helms, North Carolina's [senior S

Source: SkepticFiles.org, "Gay issues" , Apr 1, 1989

Eliminate gender discrimination in all federal programs

Sen. Quayle co-sponsored S.86 (Introduced by Sen. Bob Dole with 33 co-sponsors): The Sex Discrimination in the United States Code Reform Act:

Title I: Amends Federal laws dealing with the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Merchant Marine to eliminate gender-based distinctions.
Title II: Elimination of Gender-Based Distinctions Under the Social Security Act and the Railroad Retirement Act
Title III: Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Walsh-Healey Act, the Child Nutrition Act, the Federal criminal code and other Acts (dealing with Indian affairs, public lands, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, longshoremen and harbor workers, conservation programs, internee benefits, and the spouses of former Presidents, among other subjects) to eliminate gender-based distinctions.

Source: Bill sponsorship archives from the Library of Congress , Jan 3, 1985

Gambling impacts families; but leave it up to states

Quayle “has very serious concerns about the impact gambling has on the American family” but ultimately believes the decision is up to individual states, his campaign says. Source: Laurence Arnold, Associated Press , Jul 26, 1999

Supports Amendment against desecrating the flag

All Americans have the right and the duty to maintain respect for our flag and prevent its desecration. Indeed, we did this throughout our history, until judges needlessly interfered ten years ago. In order to protect the dignity of the American flag, I support a constitutional amendment to safeguard it against desecration. Passage of this amendment will demonstrate that the heart of America still honors the flag, respect what it stands for, and remembers the brave men and women who died for it. Source: Press Release on Flag Day , Jun 14, 1999

Religion is indispensable; against “all state, no church.”

Quayle spoke critically of a “legal aristocracy” that has turned separation of church and state into “all state, no church.” A President, he said, must state clearly that the most important qualifications for the federal bench is not where the nominees went to law school, “but whether they are well qualified, show respect for the Constitution, and appreciate the indispensable role of religion and morality in our society.” Source: Manchester (NH) Union Leader, Joseph McQuaid editorial , May 23, 1999

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