Press

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Roberta Sklar, Director of Communications
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Statement from Matt Foreman, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

"Months ago, we all knew that if George Bush was re-elected, 'gay marriage' would be blamed. A scapegoat is required. Offer up the gays.

The right wing was indeed energized. I would be too if I shared their "values." The Bush Administration has catered to their every request and fed them tons of red meat - abstinence-only-until-marriage "sex education," the "Faith Based Initiative," the ban on late term abortion, restrictions on overseas contraception programs, the ban on stem cell research, and yes, gay marriage. It's sickening and fascinating that when one in five voters said "moral values" was the most important issue for them, pundits immediately equated that with gay marriage alone.

Frankly, the right did a better job in turning out their vote in key places. They've been building their machine - illegally, unethically, or both - through churches for 30 years. They have seized and occupied "moral values" for years.

Our side is not going to make up these deficiencies in one cycle.

But to pin all of this on "the gays" is wrong. Don't buy it."

The Policy Institute has prepared an analysis of polling data asking the top issues on the mind of voters. Read that new report at http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/MoralIssues2004.pdf.

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The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.