An LGBT-equality organization hosted a tele-town hall with a Pennsylvania senator Monday to discuss issues facing the LGBT community.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey served as the keynote speaker for Equality Pennsylvania’s teleconference event, which was part of the organization’s series of statewide town-hall series.
Equality PA Executive Director Ted Martin noted Casey’s involvement in several pro-LGBT efforts, including the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and support for the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, civil unions and same-sex marriage.
“He has worked really hard to make sure that the community is part of those folks that he represents, part of the people that he has listened to and we are very grateful to have him here this evening,” Martin said.
Casey said he owes Equality PA a “heart full of gratitude” for helping him become a stronger advocate and for helping public officials and non-public officials. He noted the progress the community has made.
“We are going to continue to march right alongside you in a lot of these battles that are still ahead of us,” Casey said.
The senator continued by noting his intentions to “fight” President Donald Trump’s administration on matters important to the public’s values, while holding them accountable.
“For many years, you have had to struggle and endure hardships, rejection, pain, isolation and victimization but in so many ways you have been triumphant,” Casey said to the LGBT community. “That doesn’t mean that all of the fights are over. That doesn’t mean that all of the battles are won but you have been triumphant in overcoming all kinds of obstacles in your way as individuals, even more so [in regard to] the obstacles in your way in terms of public policy that were not supporting LGBT Americans and most recently not supporting young men and women who happen to be transgender.”
Casey talked about the policies he is currently working on, including the Equality Act, which would provide LGBT people protections from discrimination in the workplace, public education, housing and public accommodations. He said the measure will be re-introduced to the Senate in the next few weeks.
Casey noted “a couple who gets married on Saturday could be fired when they get to work on Monday just because of who they are and because of whom they love.” The senator referenced a letter he received from a seventh grader with two moms from Southeastern Pennsylvania.
“‘They are hard-working individuals who provide for my sister and me. I do not think it is fair to be fired for whom you love,’” Casey quoted from the letter.
The second issue Casey talked about was bullying prevention. He suggested legislation for school districts to enforce codes of conduct to prohibit bullying and harassment. Casey said people in his generation often say bullying is “part of growing up.”
“That’s a bunch of BS,” Casey said. “Bullying has never been worse. When we were kids, yes you could be bullied in the school but it’s a lot worse now because bullying can follow a child home. They can be bullied online. They can be bullied and it can be an aggregation of a community of bullies around one child all night long online. Then when they’re at school, it becomes a 24-hour hell for that child.”
Casey talked about his cousin’s 12-year-old daughter, who committed suicide after enduring bullying from her peers.
“She died because of bullying and we have to do something about it,” Casey said.
Casey also noted his work with hate-crimes prevention, which would prohibit access to firearms by persons convicted of misdemeanor hate-crimes involving use of force. These include simple assault, harassment, property destruction and domestic violence.
“One thing we know about hate: If it’s unchecked, it gets a lot worse. And in some cases, it gets a hell of a lot worse. We want to make sure that if someone is engaged in that kind of crime and if that crime involves the use of force, they should be denied a firearm. If we do that, the likelihood of a Pulse Nightclub crime is substantially reduced.”
Casey concluded his speech with a quote from John Adams: “I steer my bark with hope in the head, leaving fear astern.”
“That’s a good image for us,” Casey said. “As we steer this ship, steer this boat forward, we know it’s not going to be easy. We know the water will get choppy. We know that there will be friends all around us. But we’re going to steer this boat with hope in our heads, leave the affair behind us and move forward.”