Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Flashpoints USA III - God and Country - Winnie Stachelberg (Political Director of Human Rights Campaign) talking about gay rights & gay marriage and how it relates to religion & politics.
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Stachelberg states "For some people being against marriage for same sex couples means they are against homosexuality period." She goes on to explain that people who feel this way wouldn't support any gay rights issues including work place discrimination or hate crime issues. "For other people though, I think a lack of support for marriage for same sex couples is something different." She goes on to explain that people who fall into this category often believe in justice for civil rights matters (work place discrimination, ect..) but marriage for same sex couples is pushing it too far. She wants to acknowledge that marriage for gay couples is new issue and will take time to gain acceptance.
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Stachelberg states "...There are conversations that all of us have to have whether we are in the religious right or whether we're in the gay & lesbian community or we're in that 1/3, the mushy middle, often as we call it, the group of people that is persuadable on any number of issues." She goes on to say that conversation, compromises and incremental steps are key.
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Stachelberg states "Passage of a constitutional amendment at a federal level would set the gay & lesbian community back decades if not a generation." She goes on to explain that a broad coalitions of gay & lesbian organizations would fight any federal constitutional amendment. She firmly believes that the constitution is the most sacred & cherished document and shouldn't be used to deny people their rights. She continues by saying that even some of the most socially conservative groups are in opposition of using the constitution to deny gay & lesbians the ability to marry, they may be against same sex marriage but amending the constitution in this way would be a step too far.
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Stachelberg states "The Constitution has been amended only 17 times since the Bill of Rights and only once was an amendment written that denied individual rights and freedom and that was Prohibition, it was repealed quite quickly. So the amendment process is a process we have seen happen here in this country 17 times and it's been to more fully understand and capture what the framers of the constitution meant by liberty & equality for all."
Flashpoints USA - Winnie Stachelberg Interview
Non-speaking shot of Winnie Stachelberg as the production crew does something off screen.