NEW YORK — Truth Wins Out called on Rudolph W. Giuliani today to clarify a statement he made about gay relationships to moderator Tim Russert on NBC’ Meet the Press. While Giuliani said he did not think a person’ sexual orientation was sinful, he seemed to mirror the far right’ assertion that homosexual “acts” are sinful.
“Have Giuliani’ long held convictions on gay relationships changed in a New York minute to win the GOP nomination? If they have, then he lacks the character to be president,” said Truth Wins Out’ Executive Director Wayne Besen. “Giuliani’ answer on Meet the Press seemed to parrot the religious right’ cruel and empty “love the sinner, hate the sin’ rhetoric. We call on Giuliani to clarify what “acts’ he thinks are sinful and we hope he continues to respect all relationships.”
Last Week, the Associated Press reported that in a 1992 questionnaire, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee supported a quarantine for AIDS patients and called homosexuality, “an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle.” On the Sunday morning talk show, Russert asked Giuliani if he agreed with Huckabee on the issue of homosexuality.
“No, I don’t believe it’ sinful,” said Giuliani, in a continuation of his relatively moderate views on gay rights. However, the mayor went further by saying, “my moral views come from the Catholic Church. The way that somebody leads their life is not sinful. It is the acts that people perform that are sinful, not the orientation.”
Russert moved onto another question, but Giuliani interrupted, offering further thoughts on the topic. “Which includes me by the way,” he interjected. “I’ve had my own sins that I’ve had to confess and deal with. I’m empathetic with people. We’re all struggling to try to be better.”
“It is terribly offensive to suggest that our love is sinful, that we are in need of empathy or that if gays abstain from sex they are somehow better people,” said Besen. “The main problem we “struggle’ with is the anti-gay rhetoric that occurs every time the GOP has a tight election. We hope that we are reading too much into Giuliani’ words and that he remains as supportive as he was in the days when he lived, for a time, in a gay couple’ house.”
