Contact: Sunny Mindel/Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today delivered the keynote address at 'Liberty for All' -- the 1999 Log Cabin Republicans National Leadership Conference, the largest gathering of gay and lesbian conservatives in the nation. This year's annual conference held at the Roosevelt Hotel featured leading gay and lesbian leaders, writers, elected officials and activists from around the country, including Tempe, Arizona Mayor Neil Giuliano.
In his keynote address, the Mayor highlighted New York City's success in crime reduction, welfare reform, and tax reduction while stressing New York City's historic role in advancing the civil rights of gays and lesbians. The Mayor also renewed his call for the state legislature to enact reforms extending to homosexuals the same protection from discrimination afforded other groups and to pass hate crimes legislation.
"New Yorkers have a strong, proud history of protecting and advancing the rights of all people, including the rights of gays and lesbians," the Mayor said. "Over the last five years, New York City has built upon that heritage, setting an example for the rest of our nation by striving for equality among all New Yorkers. Last July, for example, I was proud to sign into law, landmark domestic partnership legislation. This law includes domestic partners under provisions of the City's Administrative Code and Charter that once applied only to spouses. It also permits domestic partners to receive health benefits provided by the City to City employees, retirees, and their eligible family members."
The Mayor continued, "But despite our progress, our nation continues to confront unspeakable hatred. On this, the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, we as a nation must go forward together, not as voting blocks with loyalties within our groups, but as independent, tolerant individuals with broader loyalties to one another as New Yorkers and Americans."
The Log Cabin Republicans' National Convention is being held in NYC from Friday, August 27th to Sunday, August 29th. The convention, attended by over 200 members, includes a variety of conferences, panel discussions and social functions. The theme of this year's convention is "Liberty for All". Last year's convention was held in Dallas, Texas.
Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican organization, with over 50 chapters across the country, a national office staff, and a federal PAC which raises $100,000 per election cycle for Republican candidates.