THROUGH all the political intrigues and partisan wrangling that have occurred in the gubernatorial election, it's easy to forget that the lives of real people are going to be deeply affected by the outcome of the election on Nov. 8. People who care about the status of gay rights and a woman's right to choose will be the Virginians most touched by the outcome of this election. It is crucial that anyone who is serious about these issues makes their voices heard at the ballot box tomorrow.
Over the course of the campaign it has become clear the two candidates have staked out clear ground on the future of gay rights. Under the moniker of protecting "Virginia Values" Jerry Kilgore has made his opposition to the expansion of gay rights an issue in this campaign. On his Web site Kilgore proudly claims that he "opposes gay marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples."
Additionally, Kilgore has been quoted by the Washington Blade as saying that he opposed the monumental Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that forbade laws that would allow states to imprison citizens who participated in same-sex relations.
While these policies may be a good vote winner in some sections of Virginia it clearly represents Kilgore's opposition to the equal right for members of the LGBT community. With this in mind it is clear that Kilgore victory would guarantee that the rights of LGBT citizens of Virginia would not be protected.
While no Democratic candidate could have a radically progressive platform in a conservative state like Virginia, Tim Kaine promises to take concrete steps to ensure that the rights of members of the LGBT community will be protected in the Commonwealth. An article in the June 24 issue of the Washington Blade stated that, "Kaine spokesperson Jeff Kraus said in an e-mail that Kaine supports equal treatment of gays and lesbians, has publicly supported including sexual orientation in Virginia's employment anti-discrimination legislation, and opposed House Bill 751, the Marriage Affirmation Act, a measure that he says unconstitutionally limits the rights of gay Virginians to enter into private contracts." In this way, Kaine's opposition to discrimination and a constitutional ban on gay marriage will act as a check on the worst of the anti-gay demagogues in the state legislature.
While the gubernatorial election offers a clear choice on gay rights, it also provides the voters with two distinct positions on a woman's right to choose. Although Kilgore has refused to take a stand on the legality of abortion, he has promised to take initiatives that would gravely impact women's reproductive freedoms. Most importantly, a Sept. 23 article in the Washington Post pointed out that Kilgore's aides have confirmed that he stands behind a 2001 statement saying that he "supports exceptions for rape and incest if the woman reports the crime to police within a week."
With Virginia's legislature still threatening to introduce Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (T.R.A.P.) legislation it is crucial that Virginian's not have an anti-choice governor like Kilgore in Richmond. If the legislature were able to pass T.R.A.P legislation it would introduce regulations on abortion providers that would effectively shut down all but two of the state's providers. If these measures were put into place, the majority of Virginia's four million women would have virtually no access to abortion practitioners, and would effectively be denied their right to choose.
Although Kaine has expressed his own moral concerns about abortion, he has promised to adopt a policy that would seek to limit the number of abortions while still preserving women's reproductive rights. He has articulated this vision in a four point plan that included promises to expand access to contraception and promote adoption as an alternative to abortion.
In the end, the election on Nov. 8 will have a tremendous impact on the future of gay rights and reproductive freedoms. Anyone who cares about these issues has the chance to take action for these issues, by making their voice heard at the ballot box tomorrow.
Adam Keith is a Cavalier Daily Associate Editor. He can be reached at akeith@cavalierdaily.com.
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