Responses of Debby Hanrahan to GLAA 2002 Questionnaire
for DC Council Candidates
| Yes/No | Substance | Record | Championship | Total |
| 2 | 3 ½ | 1 ½ | 0 | 7 |
Public Safety
1. Will you support funding for mandatory gay male, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sensitivity and diversity training including gay and transgender community representatives as a continuing part of the training for all members of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Fire/EMS Department?
Yes. It is vital that the Mayor and City Council provide sufficient funding for mandatory gay male, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sensitivity and diversity training for all police, fire and rescue workers. It is also vital that representatives of the gay and transgender community participate in this training, as almost all police, fire and rescue encounters with this community will be under high-stress or life-and-death conditions. Additionally, if elected Council Chair, I would make sure that the Council in its public safety oversight hearings exercises true oversight over sensitivity and training programs in order to guarantee that the Metropolitan Police Department and the Fire/EMS Department are providing adequate training and not an insufficient, half-hearted effort.
2. Metropolitan Police Officers are barred from moonlighting only at bars and sexually oriented establishments. Officers are not barred from working at any other establishments. Will you support legislation that will reverse the Council's ban on moonlighting at bars and sexually oriented establishments?
Yes. Unless the department enacts a ban on all moonlighting by off-duty police officers, there is no valid reason to ban them from providing security for bars and sexually oriented establishments - especially when there is a demonstrated need such as at the O Street SE establishments. Although I realize that D.C. police have themselves been involved in on-duty and off-duty situations that have endangered civilians or treated African Americans, gays or other minorities in a discriminatory or insulting fashion, police officers still have a higher level of training than private security guards and are better equipped to provide a greater degree of safety for patrons and to demonstrate cool-headedness in tense situations than are private forces. I would support rescinding the ban.
3. A few years ago the District enacted a version of Megan's Law that refuses to allow sex offenders to keep themselves off the public registry of sex offenders by demonstrating that they are no longer a danger to the community. A federal judge struck down this provision of the D.C. law as unconstitutional last September. Similar provisions have been struck down by many other federal courts. Will you support a change in Megan's Law to ensure that the registry of sex offenders only includes those who are still dangerous?
Yes. Fairness demands that ex-offenders who have served their time and can prove they are no longer a threat to the community should not be punished in perpetuity by being listed on a registry of sex offenders.
Public Health & AIDS
4. The rate of HIV infections in DC is the highest in the United States, rivaling levels in sub-Saharan Africa. The last time that The DC Council held an oversight hearing on the HIV/AIDS Administration was June 18, 1998. If elected or re-elected to the Council, will you ensure that the Council holds an annual performance oversight hearing on the HIV/AIDS Administration?
Yes. I was absolutely appalled to see in your question that the D.C. Council has not held a hearing on the HIV/AIDS Administration in more than four years. If elected Council Chair, I would ensure that the Council holds an annual performance oversight hearing. In the remaining days of this campaign, I will also raise this issue at any forum I attend.
5. The Director of the HIV/AIDS Administration, Ron Lewis, is his own boss, also serving as a deputy Health Director. Will you demand that the HIV/AIDS Administration have a full-time Director?
Yes. Given the level of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the District of Columbia, it is intolerable that the HIV/AIDS Administration does not have a full-time director. This is another example of this Mayor and Council's misplaced priorities. The Mayor can pledge $200 million in public land and money to build a baseball stadium, but can't seem to have a full-time director to deal with the city's worst public health crisis.
6. The current HIV epidemiological surveillance system discourages people-especially immigrants-from getting tested by requiring both their partial social security number and their country of origin. This potentially threatens their ability to stay in this country. The HIV Unique Identifier System Amendment Act of 2001, B14-0326, would eliminate the partial social security system. Will you vote for the bill and seek a speedy passage?
Yes. Anonymity is vital to any HIV epidemiological surveillance system because the fear of privacy loss will discourage people from participating - particularly discouraging undocumented immigrants, as you point out. Given Congress's control over the District and its members' constant grandstanding and meddling in local affairs (particularly on issues that play to their districts' Christian Coalition audience), I would fear that any system that lacked anonymity safeguards could be subjected to political manipulation and public exposure by an out-of-state politician trying to score points with his right-wing constituents. The Council Chair has the authority to appoint committee chairs. As Council Chair, I would see to it that the Human Services Committee (which has not yet held a hearing on the HIV Unique Identifier System Amendment Act) is headed by someone who will move this legislation to a hearing and speedy passage.
Human Rights
7. Recognizing the significant improvements made in the operations of the Office of Human Rights under then-Director Charles Holman, the Williams Administration granted OHR a significant addition to its FY 2003 budget to increase the number of investigators and other staff so that the case backlog will continue to drop. Will you support such increases in funding for future years as well until complaints are routinely processed within 120 days?
Yes. Since so many social services programs were slashed during the Mayor and Council's recent decisions to cut $323 million because of a revenue shortfall, I hope the budget increases for the Office of Human Rights survived intact. Unlike this current Mayor and the Council majority, I oppose cutting schools, social services and human rights programs when the city government is promising major funding for a baseball stadium, is providing all kinds of subsidies to the tourism industry (and when there are alternative revenue-raising measures that could be considered.) As Council Chair, I would work to insure that there is adequate funding so that the OHR is routinely processing all complaints within 120 days.
8. Will you support legislation that will codify the Office of Human Rights' former practice of giving top priority to discrimination complaints filed by people with AIDS or other major life-threatening diseases?
Yes. It is eminently fair and humane to give top priority to discrimination complaints filed by people with AIDS or other life-threatening diseases. No one facing an uncertain future should have to "stand in line."
9. The Council recently confirmed the reappointment of Pierpont Mobley to the D.C. Commission on Human Rights, despite Mr. Mobley's statements during his confirmation hearing indicating a lack of support or understanding of the Commission's ruling against the Boy Scouts' policy of excluding gay men from participating either as Scouts or as leaders. Will you vote against the confirmation of any other nominee to the Human Rights Commission who displays a similar lack of commitment to enforcement of the D.C. Human Rights Law?
Yes. No one should be appointed to the D.C. Commission on Human Rights who has been associated with organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, that have a policy of excluding gay men as members or leaders. The Council majority showed incredible insensitivity in the reappointment of Pierpont Mobley to the commission. Human Rights Commission appointments should go to people with a demonstrated record of support for human rights, not to people whose organizations demonstrate bigotry or whose main qualification is political connections.
10. Will you block ceremonial resolutions saluting individuals or organizations that promote any sort of bigotry, including but not limited to the Nation of Islam and the Boy Scouts of America?
Yes. As Council Chair, I would block ceremonial resolutions saluting individuals or organizations that promote bigotry, including the Nation of Islam and Boy Scouts. I would also oppose resolutions honoring individuals who have a history of bigotry.
Defending Our Families
11. Will you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
Yes. Same-sex partners deserve the same legal recognition and benefits of marriage as heterosexual partners. I would note that in 2000, I and six other activists were arrested for standing up in the House of Representatives and casting a symbolic "vote" against Congress's interference in the D.C. appropriations process. The appropriations bill that year (as in so many previous years) had many objectionable riders, including an anti-gay provision prohibiting implementation of the Domestic Partners Act. We "D.C. Democracy 7" activists were protesting that and other riders tacked on by the likes of Bob Barr and Tom Delay, including the prohibition against implementing medical marijuana Initiative 59. We were subsequently acquitted by a D.C. Superior Court jury at a trial in which we got into the record the list of the objectionable riders, including the domestic partners' measure.
12. Will you support legislation in the District similar to Vermont's civil unions law?
Yes. As I understand it, Vermont's civil unions law would be a step toward full and equal marriage for same sex couples. I agree with your organization's assessment that it would be a good model for the District of Columbia to emulate.
13. Will you support amending the domestic partnership regulations to recognize the more than 100 couples who registered under Mayor Kelly's September 30, 1992 Directive?
Yes. It is grossly unjust that these 100-plus couples would have to refile and pay new filing fees because of the illegal action of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs in destroying their previous registration records.
14. Will you support amending the domestic partnership regulations to recognize domestic partnerships and civil unions established in other jurisdictions?
Yes. As your organization has pointed out, it is consistent with the Constitution's Full Faith and Credit clause for the District to recognize civil unions performed in other jurisdictions.
Other Issues
15. Will you vote for the "Elimination of Outdated Crimes Amendment Act of 2002," Bill 14-636, which eliminates archaic criminal laws including fornication, adultery and others?
Yes. It is ridiculous that these laws are still on the books. As one local gay rights activist never tires of mischievously pointing out to me, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich and a host of other members of Congress could have faced one year of jail time for their extramarital affairs. While I enjoy seeing politicians go to jail as much as the next person, I do think that it should be for real crimes, not for archaic offenses that should have no place on the statute books today
16. Will you oppose legislation designed to end nude dancing at any establishment holding a D.C. liquor license or prohibiting such establishments from transferring their nude dancing licenses to different establishments or otherwise further limiting nude dancing in ABC-licensed establishments?
Yes. The ABC reform bill of 2001 is the law, and I would oppose any efforts to amend it that would prohibit nude dancing or that would restrict transfer of licenses, relocation within the same commercial zoning area or moves to the downtown area.
17. Will you vote against "The Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs Act of 2002," Bill 14-719, which would undermine citizen advocacy by creating official gay advocates under the direction of the Mayor?
Yes. Your organization's argument persuades me that this office would ghettoize gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender concerns under the Mayor's control. I suppose such an office could work given the right charismatic personality and independent spirit of the person heading it, but what are the chances of that? And what would be the chances of it getting an adequate budget in this time of fiscal austerity on the part of the Mayor and Council? Even if this were a good idea, it would have too many strikes against it. I would oppose creation of this office.
Record
Your record is part of your rating. Please list any actions that you have taken that may help illustrate your record on behalf of lesbians and gay men.
I worked as a signature gatherer with Wayne Turner and Steve Michael on the original medical marijuana Initiative 57 and on the subsequent successful Initiative 59. Prior to and on the election day on which Initiative 59 was approved, I put on my Initiative 59 sweatshirt (silk-screened by Wayne Turner) and handed out "vote yes" literature. Also, as noted in one of my answers above, I was arrested and charged with disrupting Congress in July 2000 in a protest over Congressional interference in D.C. laws and appropriations and our lack of democracy. In that particular case, members of Congress as usual had tacked on riders prohibiting implementation of the Domestic Partners Act, spending city funds for medical marijuana, needle exchange, abortions for poor women, among other issues. The "Democracy 7" demonstrators faced up to six months in jail and $500 fines for this action, but we were subsequently acquitted. I have also participated in several demonstrations with ActUp and Stand Up for Democracy as a foot soldier in protests against Congressional interference on these and other issues. Through Wayne Turner's intercession, I have learned about a small needle exchange program (Prevention Works) currently operating in D.C. I and a friend were so impressed with this group that we are planning to hold what we hope will be a successful fund-raiser in the spring to supplement their meager budget.