Democratic Primary Debates and news: on Civil Rights
Deval Patrick:
Reparations for slavery without reconciliation won't satisfy
He demurred when asked about reparations for descendants of American slaves, a proposal that has been embraced by several other candidates. "Yes we need to deal with the chronic poverty and marginalization that has been true of an overwhelming number
of our people that has its roots in slavery," Patrick said. "But once the check is written, unless we have reconciliation, unless we have some truth telling about what actually happened, I'm just not sure we're going to feel satisfied."
Source: Bloomberg News on 2019 Democratic primary
Nov 20, 2019
Andrew Yang:
Exposing stereotypes helps dispel them
Q: One pundit writes, "Seeing Yang up on the debate stage should've been a thrilling milestone as a Taiwanese-American. But it was hard to feel proud. He felt that the most practical use of his identity was as a joke." YANG: I am very proud of my
heritage and very proud of being the first Asian American man to run for president. Americans are smart enough to know a joke when they hear it. Dragging these myths into the light makes them less powerful and helps dispel them.
Source: NBC Meet the Press on 2019 Democratic primary
Nov 3, 2019
Amy Klobuchar:
We need environmental justice in this country
Q: How to help communities of colors with disasters? KLOBUCHAR: We need environmental justice in this country. People who are economically disadvantaged, and people of color--many times they're the ones left behind. A lot of this is going to have to
be investing in those communities. We have to make sure that money's going to help the workers who are transitioning to new jobs, #1. And #2, making sure that people are basically held harmless when they see any effects for people that can
Source: Climate Crisis Town Hall (CNN 2019 Democratic primary)
Sep 4, 2019
Pete Buttigieg:
Black voters more interested in issues than his being gay
Q: Do you think the fact that you're gay is part of what might be holding you back with some black voters?BUTTIGIEG: I think most black voters, like most voters in general, want to know what the candidates are actually going to do to
improve their lives. When I talk to black voters, there's a sense of having been taken for granted in politics and a sense that candidates haven't always been speaking to them or earning their trust.
Source: CNN State of the Union interview for 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 18, 2019
Cory Booker:
Not enough to say "not a hatemonger myself"
Martin Luther King said what we have to repent is not just the vitriolic words and violent actions of bad people, but the appalling silence and inaction of good people. There is a complicity in the president's hatred that undermines the goodness and
decency of Americans, regardless of what party. It's not enough to say that, "I'm not a hatemonger myself." If you are not actively working against hate, calling it out, you are complicit in what is going on.
Source: Meet the Press interview for 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 4, 2019
Julian Castro:
Leaders should unite us, not feed bigotry and division
We need leadership at every level in our public and private life that is encouraging people to understand each other, to have compassion and respect for one another, and to appreciate our differences, instead of to fuel bigotry and hate and division.
If you're in a position of leadership, you set the tone for the country. And there is no question that this president is setting a tone of division and fanning the flames of bigotry and of hate and is not making it any better. He's making it worse.
Source: CNN State of the Union interview for 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 4, 2019
Andrew Yang:
Treatment of indigenous people has been immoral & criminal
Former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off a major forum on faith and poverty issues, fielding questions from faith leaders and low-income Americans during a gathering organized by the Poor People's Campaign.
Other, lesser-known candidates who addressed the forum included businessman Andrew Yang, who fielded a question from two Native American crowd members by saying that the treatment of indigenous people has been "immoral and criminal."
Source: Religion News Service on 2019 Democratic primary
Jun 17, 2019
Bernie Sanders:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's NAN convention, asked about a [slavery reparations] bill, Sanders told Sharpton that "if the House and Senate passed that bill, of course I would sign it."Sanders had been less committed to the idea of reparations in the form of
payment when asked about it on ABC's "The View." "I think that right now, our job is to address the crises facing the American people and our communities, and I think there are better ways to do that than just writing out a check," he said at the time.
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
Cory Booker:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention in New York City, most of the 2020 contenders affirmed their support for a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for African-Americans.
Booker added a note of caution in his speech, telling the crowd that the conversation around reparations "cannot become just a political box-checking exercise."
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
Elizabeth Warren:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention in New York City, most of the 2020 contenders affirmed their support for a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for African-Americans. "When I am elected president,
I will sign that bill." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told Sharpton.Elizabeth Warren said she would support the [commission to study reparations] bill as well.
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
John Hickenlooper:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention in New York City, most of the 2020 contenders affirmed their support for a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for African-Americans. Hickenlooper, who began with a
longer response to Sharpton's question about the bill, offered a playfully curt "yes, I'm gonna pass it!" when pushed by a shout from the audience to simply tell the crowd: "Yes or no?"
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
Kamala Harris:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention in New York City, most of the 2020 contenders affirmed their support for a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for
African-Americans. "When I am elected president, I will sign that bill." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told Sharpton.
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
Kirsten Gillibrand:
Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery
At Al Sharpton's National Action Network convention in New York City, most of the 2020 contenders affirmed their support for a bill that would create a commission to study reparations for African-Americans. "I firmly support congresswoman Jackson Lee's
bill," Gillibrand said. "But we must not only study the problem," she said, promising to address a range of related issues if elected president, such as affordable housing, environmental justice and the practice of redlining.
Source: CNBC: 2019 National Action Network & 2020 Democratic primary
Apr 5, 2019
Amy Klobuchar:
Paper ballots allow audits, ensure election integrity
I think the major reason that we need to see the [Mueller] report right now, in addition to getting all of the details, is to know what we should do to protect our elections and to protect our democracy going into 2020.We know that Russia tried to
hack into our elections, they tried-- they did hack into campaigns -- that they spread propaganda. I want to pass my bill with Senator Lankford, a bipartisan bill, to get back up paper ballots. I want to make sure we have audits of our elections.
Source: ABC This Week 2019 interviews for 2020 Democratic primary
Mar 31, 2019
Bill De Blasio:
Added third gender to NYC birth certificates
Mayor Bill De Blasio has one of the most progressive views on LGBTQ rights of any other presidential candidate. In 2018, for example, he signed legislation that added a third gender to New York City birth certificates. Under the new law, transgender
and gender non-binary people are able to change their birth certificates more easily if born in the city.In 2017, he issued the first LGBTQ Health Care Bill of Rights, which ensured accessible health care for all LGBTQ people in New York.
In 2016, the mayor issued an executive order that allowed transgender people to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that they best identify with.
Mayor De Blasio has also boycotted the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York for years since it always
excluded LGBTQ groups. Instead, he marched in the St. Pat's for All parade. He even boycotted Chick-Fil-A because of the company's homophobic philosophies.
Source: Frank Olito, Insider.com, on 2019 Democratic primary
Mar 26, 2019
Julian Castro:
As mayor, banned discrimination against sexual orientation
Before becoming President Obama's secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro was the mayor of San Antonio where he signed an ordinance that banned discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.In 2013,
when the Supreme Court struck down an anti-same-sex marriage law, he prompted his state to follow suit.
"Ending the official bigotry that Texas sanctions is both the right thing to do, and it is also good for business," he said at the time.
As HUD secretary, Castro prioritized helping homeless LGBTQ youth and attempted to dismantle LGBTQ housing discrimination.
"Every American should have access to decent,
affordable housing," Castro said. "It's a tragedy that so many LGBTQ youth are being mistreated simply because of who they are, making them particularly vulnerable to homelessness."
Source: Frank Olito, Insider.com, on 2019 Democratic primary
Mar 26, 2019
Wayne Messam:
Silent about his stance on LGBTQ rights
Messam has been silent about his stance on LGBTQ rights. On his campaign website, he has 12 pages that list his top priorities, which include everything from gun reform to democratic reform. However, there is no mention of LGBTQ rights.Additionally,
The Daily Beast reached out to the 2020 candidates to ask them about their views on the Supreme Court taking up cases around LGBTQ discrimination. Messam could not be reached for comment.
His biography also does not mention LGBTQ rights anywhere.
Source: Frank Olito, Insider.com, on 2019 Democratic primary
Mar 26, 2019
Pete Buttigieg:
Voters have judged his record, not his marriage
Q: Is the country ready for a gay couple in the White House?A: I think there's only one way to find out. When I came out, it was in the middle of a reelection campaign. I just reached that point in my life where I was ready. And we didn't know what
Source: ABC This Week 2019 interviews for 2020 Democratic primary
Feb 3, 2019
Page last updated: Dec 11, 2020