At a Vermont Democratic Party reception on Saturday, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean urged passage of the marriage bill that sitting Gov. Jim Douglas has threatened to veto:
Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.
A boisterous crowd cheered former Gov. Howard Dean’s support of Freedom to Marry legislation and health care reform Saturday at a Vermont Democratic Party reception at the Hilton Burlington.
Dean’s emotional endorsement of both issues headlined his acceptance of the 10 annual David W. Curtis Award.
The event celebrated Dean’s tenure as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee — and his 50-state strategy that is credited for helping return the party to power in Congress, and for President Barack Obama’s victory.
Dean urged Vermont party members to press forward in this year’s legislative drive to grant marriage rights to all Vermonters, regardless of gender.
“Vote your conscience, not your district,” he advised legislators.
“Stand up for doing the right thing; for being a human being,” he continued. “Put human rights above politics — because if you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your political career.”
Conservatives, he said, should note that the first American soldier to “take a bullet” at the onset of the current war in Iraq was a gay man.
Go Dean!
Vermonters can send a message to their state representatives, with a copy to the governor, by visiting http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/vtmarriagehearings.
hat tip: Pam Spaulding
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**UPDATE – APRIL 1: On Tuesday (Mar. 31), the VT House Judiciary Committee voted 8-2 in favor of Vermont’s marriage equality bill, clearing the way for a full House floor vote. This vote follows last week’s 26-4 vote in the Senate.
Congratulations to House Judiciary Committee Chair Bill Lippert for his years of work for GLBT equality. With Governor Jim Douglas (R) threatening to veto the bill, supporters of marriage equality need to get as close to 100 votes as possible in order to have a solid chance to override the expected veto.
With a vote expected vote in the House on Thursday, April 2, Vermont is poised to make history.
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