白宮史上第一次公開支持同志權益 @ The Prince Diary 王子日記

白宮史上第一次公開支持同志權益！！

The Promises of a New Era！！

因為美國現在面臨太多嚴峻的挑戰，加上布希過去八年以基督教思維出發，對內造成族群、宗教的對立，對外樹立不少敵人，也得罪不少朋友，所以 Obama 從當選之後，雖然還不是正式的總統，但就沒有停過腳步。原本在就職前紐約時報都會照慣例刊登一篇總統專訪，但由於 Obama 一個禮拜有時除了週末，幾乎五天都有記者，所以最後連這專訪的傳統都省了。而在就職大典結束之後，Obama 跟穿著「台灣設計師」設計的夢幻晚禮服的老婆在晚會上跳完舞後，就趕快回白宮睡覺，因為他隔天早上七點就要開第一個會。

總統都已經發條上緊了，閣員當然也加快腳步。Obama 在美國時間1月20日中午12點05分宣誓成為總統的同時，白宮網頁內容跟著就全盤換了。新網站當中顯他新的施政方針，並且有直接與民眾溝通的信箱；許多人都會覺得這種“總統信箱“不過是種噱頭，不過對於是靠網路勝選的 Obama，這網路信箱絕對不是虛設的，第一、他能夠延續支持者的熱情，第二，他一直很擔憂成為總統之後，由於安全與機密理由所以無法有個人與外界聯繫的管道，導致他與外界隔絕，只能完全相信包圍他的幕僚的話，這直接的總統信箱，能夠讓他跟競選時在基層跑透透時一樣，繼續了解一般民眾的生活與心態。第三，這對同志也很重要，也就是當你寄信給總統並且留下連絡方式之後，這資料庫也將成為他施政遇到阻力時，訴諸民意的管道。假設他今天要通過一項對同志有力的法案，但送到國會時，國會議員因為選區當中基督與天主選民的壓力，而打算杯葛或否決，這時白宮方面就可以從這龐大的資料庫當中，選出發表過對同志友好言論的民眾，寄email、寄信，或打電話，請你向自己選區的議員施壓，讓對同志友好的法案能夠在國會中通過。

而在更新之後的「白宮網站民權項目進程表」 / 「Civil Rights Agenda」當中，Obama 政府特別用很大篇幅，專門寫他對同志議題的施政方針，將怎麼樣為同志們爭取權益，以及推翻以前的惡法。

這是歷史上，白宮第一次，公開的，支持同志權益！！

Support for the LGBT Community
對 LGBT 社群的支持

「While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect. 」
 Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

「儘管從1969年的石牆事件之後，已經有長足進步，但我們依舊有許多需要作的。LGBT 的議題太常被要分化我們的人拿來剝削。但這議題的核心是，身為美國人的我們該如何面對。這議題是關於這個國家要如何以尊嚴與尊重來對待其公民，以達成建國時的人人平等的承諾。」
 Barack Obama, 6月 1日, 2007

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

延展仇恨犯罪保護範疇：
在2004年，針對 LGBT 美國人的仇恨犯罪，是同型犯罪當中的第三高，並且佔了總體仇恨犯罪的15％。Obama 總統支持延展聯邦司法範疇，將對於種族、膚色、宗教、出生地、性取向、性別認同或肢體殘障的暴力犯罪行為，納入反仇恨法當中。當還是州參議員的時候，Obama 總統通過了一項嚴峻的法案，將進行或計畫仇恨犯罪，定為違法行為。

（註：將性取向與性別認同納入反仇恨法當中的提案，在2006年12月被否決。相關報導請看這篇：「什麼是反仇恨法」）。

Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

對抗職場歧視：
Obama 總統支持「無歧視就業法」，並且相信我們的就業反歧視法律，應該擴展到包括性取向與性別認同。雖然目前有越來越多雇主已將福利擴展到員工的家居伴侶，但在職場上針對員工性取向加以歧視的行為，卻沒有聯邦的法律保障。總統在伊利諾伊州參議院的時候，同時也支持過禁止在職場上針對性取向加以歧視的法案。

Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.

支持 LGBT 伴侶獲得完整的民事結合以及聯邦權益：
Obama 總統支持給予同性伴侶跟婚姻相同合法權益與基本權利的完整民事結合。 Obama 同時也相信我們需要推翻「保護婚姻法」，並且推動立法，確保目前1千100多項依據婚姻狀況賦予的聯邦法定權益，能夠延展到經由民事結合或其他法律認可方式結合的同性伴侶身上。這些權利與權益包含了在緊急時刻能協助伴侶，平等的健保與其他就業福利，以及財產權。

（註：聯邦權益也包括移民事項，也就是你的美國男朋友可以明正言順的幫你辦移民，同志們不需要再被老闆剝削只為了一張綠卡，或因為拿不到居留權兩人含淚分手。保護婚姻法就是當年教會推動而過的聯邦層級法律，具有增修憲法效力。）

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.

反對修憲禁絕同性婚姻：
Obama 總統在 2006 年投票反對“聯邦婚姻憲法增修條文“，該案將定義婚姻只是一男與一女的結合，並且阻絕同性之間，或未婚伴侶之間，所有類似婚姻的法律型式。

（註：之前有許多網友好心提供意見，建議我跟男友之間可以簽訂某種法律文件，來保障我們的法律權益，但由教會推動的上面那項法案，將杜絕所有只要不是一男一女結婚所簽定的類似婚姻關係法律文件，所以就算我們簽了，也會失效。在這篇文章；「上帝要我恨我的鄰人，我做到了」當中，有提到這項立法。）

Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.

推翻不聞不問政策：
Obama 總統同意前參謀總長 John Shalikashvili 以及其他軍方專家的意見，我們需要推翻“不聞不問政策“。從軍的重點是在於報效國家、負起責任，以及服務的心。歧視應該被禁止。美國政府已經花了好幾千萬來替換由於性取向而被強迫退伍的軍人。另外，超過 300 位語言專家因為這項政策被解雇，包括 50 位阿拉伯語流利的專家。總統將與軍方首長合作，來推翻這項現行政策，並且確保這將能協助我們達成國防目標。

Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.

擴展領養權利：
Obama 總統相信，我們必須確保所有伴侶跟個人的領養權利，無論他們的性取向為何。他認為一個小孩將能因為一個健康與充滿愛的家庭而獲益，不管家長是不是 Gay。

（註：我們想要一男一女。我翻到最後那句「不管家長是不是Gay」的時候，心中有莫名的感動。）

Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. President Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.

促進預防愛滋病：
在總統任期的第一年，Obama 總統將發展並且實行一項包括全部聯邦機構的全國性愛滋病策略方案。這項策略將設計減少 HIV 感染，讓患者更容易得到醫療照顧，並減少 HIV 相關的健康衰退。總統將支持在適當年紀教導常識性的性教育，內容包括避孕套，經由教育與避孕套來對抗監獄內的傳染，並且透過公共健康體系分發避孕套。總統同時支持解除聯邦對於交換針頭的禁令，因為這將能夠大幅減低吸毒者之間的互相傳染。Obama 總統同時也願意面持續環繞在愛滋病周遭的禁忌，而這禁忌通常跟恐同症有關。

Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. President Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

增強女性預防愛滋病：
過去20年來，被診斷出有愛滋病的美國女性比率大漲了兩倍。今天，被診斷出罹患愛滋病的新患者當中，女性超過了4分之1。Obama 總統推動了「殺微生物劑開發法案」，該法將加快女性對抗愛滋病的腳步。殺微生物劑是一種目前正在發展的產品，一般用在協助防治 HIV 以及他種傳染。

（註：上面有關於的法學或醫學名詞，如果翻譯的不對或順暢，還請專家們指證，謝謝。）