Presidential Candidate Rocky Anderson’s Statement to PQ Readers
by Nick Mattos, PQ Monthly
Justice Party presidential candidate Rocky Anderson wants PQ readers to know his commitment to the rights of queer people.
An attorney and activist, Rocky Anderson served as mayor of Salt Lake City from 2000 to 2008. During that time, Anderson rose to nationwide prominence as a champion of several national and international causes, including climate protection, immigration reform, restorative criminal justice, LGBT rights, and an end to the “war on drugs”. Before and after the invasion by the U.S. of Iraq in 2003, Anderson was a leading opponent of the invasion and occupation of Iraq and related human rights abuses. Anderson was also the only mayor of a major U.S. city who advocated for the impeachment of President George W. Bush, which he did in many venues throughout the United States. Anderson — who will be on the ballot in both Oregon and Washington — left the Democratic Party in 2011 and has received the endorsement of the Justice Party as well as Oregon’s Progressive Party.
We invited Anderson to make a statement to PQ Monthly readers about his history of commitment to LGBTQ rights:
“I have a long record of defending LBGT rights and marriage equality, including my advocacy for same sex marriage and my opposition to DOMA when I ran for Congress in 1996. During my two terms as Mayor of Salt Lake City, I issued an executive order barring discrimination in hiring due to sexual orientation. I also provided benefits and healthcare to unmarried partners. I vigorously support a federal equal rights amendment for marriage equality. It is wrong to leave such a fundamental matter of equal rights to the states as President Obama is content to do. I support marriage equality as a fundamental federal right.
I was proud to be recognized by HRC as one of the top ten straight advocates for gay and lesbian rights and was honored to be Grand Marshall of the 2002 Gay Pride Parade in Salt Lake City. I have donated most of my adult life — incuding my legal career as a community activist, and my service in public office, and as executive director of a human rights non-profit organization — to protecting the rights of all people.”
Anderson will be participating in the third-party presidential debates hosted by Free and Equal Elections on October 23, the day after the third and final debate held by the Commission on Presidential Debates.
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Geez, and Obama just tweeted something about his evolving views on marriage equality? Forgettaboutit. I’m voting Rocky!
Rocky has been years ahead of everyone when it comes to GLBT rights, same sex marriage, climate change, anti war, human rights… you name it; he’s been there. His platform is pretty simple: Social Justice, Economic Justice. Environmental Justice. I watched him on the third party debate on HUFF PO this morning… He says what he means and means what he says. AMAZING. Larry King is going to host a debate next week with third party candidates. Rocky will be on it.