Bay Windows Endorsements 2012

BY | OCTOBER 31, 2012

President
Barack Obama

Bay Windows enthusiastically endorses Barack Obama for a second term as President of the United States of America.

Not since Abraham Lincoln has a president so deftly moderated opposing views and made so much progress. Understanding the power of the bully pulpit, President Obama’s personal support of same-sex marriage (“I think same-sex couples should be able to get married”) gave leaders across the nation permission to vocalize their support. (Thank you, Vice President Joe Biden, who got ahead of administration by saying what he thought—a remarkable quality—and beating the president to the same-sex alter.) Obama repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, allowing lesbian and gay service members to serve openly. With recent court victories against the Defense of Marriage Act, the barrier preventing our marriages from being recognized by the Federal Government seems sure to fall.

Read the full endorsement at http://www.baywindows.com/Obama-for-four-more-years

U.S. Senate
Elizabeth Warren

Bay Windows enthusiastically endorses Elizabeth Warren for United States Senate.

Elizabeth Warren is not afraid to be open and honest about her support of the LGBT citizens of Massachusetts. In this political and business environment, candor and bravery are essential character traits for our elected leaders. Warren has both.

Read the full endorsement at http://www.baywindows.com/Warren-for-the-peoples-seat

U.S Congress, Fourth District
Joseph Kennedy III

U.S Congress, Sixth District
Richard Tisei

Question 2, Death With Dignity Act
Yes

"Question 2 is a vote for individual rights and personal freedom," said Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank who has endorsed the Death with Dignity Act adding, "This is the most personal of decisions and it should not be denied to a terminally ill patient."

Question 2 opponents received some of its largest donations from right-wing fringe groups with radical views on women's rights, human rights, and gay rights. The opponents received more than $358,000 from the American Principals Project (APP) and its chairman Sean Fieler of New Jersey. A priority of the APP is to eradicate anti‐bullying programs in schools.

The Associated Press reported last month that opponents received a whopping $250,000 contribution from the American Family Association, a Mississippi‐based conservative fundamentalist group labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Opponents were compelled to return that donation, but they have since defended even greater donations from the APP and its principals, despite the two groups similar views.

"I know firsthand how extreme these groups can be," the Congressman said. "Death with Dignity is a personal choice and we deserve to have a fair and meaningful dialogue, not a smear campaign loaded with scare tactics and funded by radical anti‐gay, anti‐choice hate groups."

If passed, Question 2 would provide terminally-ill adults the choice to take life-ending medication to end their suffering. The Massachusetts question mimics the law in other states where the terminally ill have had this right for 15 years. No medical professional would ever be required to participate against his or her will.

Question 3, Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Intitiative
Yes

Passage of this measure would legalize the use of medical marijuana in the state. The initiative is being backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance and the Committee for Compassionate Medicine.

MassEquality PAC Endorsements
www.massequalitypac.org

For State Senate
Jamie Eldridge for State Senate
(Middlesex and Worcester District)
Michael Barrett for State Senate
(Third Middlesex District)
Sonia Chang-Díaz for State Senate
(Second Suffolk District)
Jim Welch for State Senate
Hampden District)

For State Representative
Danielle Gregoire for State Representative
(Fourth Middlesex District)
Dave Linsky for State Representative
(Fifth Middlesex District)
Tom Sannicandro for State Representative
(Seventh Middlesex District)
Carolyn Dykema for State Representative
(Eighth Middlesex District)
Kay Kahn for State Representative
(Eleventh Middlesex District)
Sean Garballey for State Representative
(23rd Middlesex District)
Marjorie Decker for State Representative
(25th Middlesex District)
Denise Provost for State Representative
(27th Middlesex District)
Jason Lewis for State Representative
(31st Middlesex District)
Carl Sciortino for State Representative
(34th Middlesex District)
Speaker Robert DeLeo for State Representative
(19th Suffolk District)
Gloria Fox for State Representative
(Seventh Suffolk District)
Barbara L'Italien for State Representative
(18th Essex District)
Alice Peisch for State Representative
(14th Norfolk District)
Aaron Vega for State Representative
(Fifth Hampden District)
Denise Andrews for State Representative
(Second Franklin District)
Jim O'Day for State Representative
(14th Worcester District)
Josh Cutler for State Representative
(Sixth Plymouth District)
Marilee Kenney Hunt for State Representative
(Eighth Plymouth District)
Paul Heroux for State Representative
(Second Bristol District)