The Promise of Tomorrow

HRC National Dinner Remarks
September 10, 2016

Thank you!

Thank you Jodie for that very kind introduction. I mean this from the bottom of my heart when I tell you how honored and proud we are to have you with us this evening. By standing up and speaking out for Penelope, you’ve not only made life better for him, but for countless others all across this country, and we thank you for it.

I also want to thank each and every one of you for being with us tonight. Whether you live here in Washington, or traveled a thousand miles to be here, your commitment and dedication to this organization and this movement are what propel us forward.

Because of all the progress you’ve helped make possible these last many years, countless Americans all across this country today are able to live fuller and more equal lives than they were just a short decade ago.

Today, a transgender Marine is able to openly serve the country he loves with the respect and honor he has so long deserved.

A same-sex couple in Rowan County, Kentucky was able to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary with the full recognition of their country, their state and yes — even their county clerk.

An asylum seeker from Bangladesh, persecuted by his own government simply because he’s gay, was welcomed with open arms by the greatest nation on earth.

And in Charlotte, North Carolina, a transgender worker found that, even though her governor won’t stand up for her, the CEO of her Fortune 500 company sure as hell will.

But despite all that we’ve accomplished, we are surrounded by constant reminders of just how far we still have to go in our fight for full equality.

From Houston to North Carolina, from Orlando to Trump Tower, the roots of hatred and bigotry stretch far and wide. And this past year we’ve had to fight harder and dig deeper to push forward through some of the darkest times we have ever faced.

Our hearts are still heavy with grief from the tragedy that struck our community in Orlando just three months ago. The 49 LGBTQ people and allies who lost their lives at Pulse Nightclub were brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends. But above all, they were human beings — human beings who were loved, and who had hopes and dreams for long and full lives.

Christopher Drew Leinonen was one of the heroes we lost that tragic early morning. At 32 years old, Christopher had already accomplished so much. As the only out student at his high school, he founded the Gay-Straight Alliance in the face of prejudice from not only students, but from some teachers as well.

He later earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Central Florida.

And not too long ago, he fell in love. Christopher and his boyfriend, Juan, had even talked about getting married before they both lost their lives at Pulse.

Tonight, we are so honored to be joined by a woman who has shown incredible courage in the face of this unspeakable tragedy, Christopher’s mom, Christine.

Christine, on behalf of all of us, thank you for raising such a remarkable young man. Thank you for showing the world the power of your love. And thank you for your strength and your bravery to speak out for what’s right. And know that when you look around this room tonight, we are all standing with you.

We’re standing with you because what happened in Orlando made clear that for our community to be truly safe, we need to do more than just stop the hate. We also need to stop the epidemic of gun violence that plagues this country. And that’s exactly why, just days after the attack in Orlando, HRC’s board of directors took decisive action and proudly voted to endorse common-sense gun safety laws.

And today HRC is fighting alongside advocates who are on the frontlines of this battle — leaders like John Feinblatt of Everytown for Gun Safety, and Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords of Americans for Responsible Solutions.

In the wake of this tragedy we were all overwhelmed by so many examples of what really makes America great. We saw memorials big and small sprout up in cities and towns all across the country. We saw hundreds in Orlando line-up to donate blood, and thousands more offer support to the families of the victims. But as Americans united together in mourning, one man passed up the opportunity to help the nation heal — instead, in typical fashion, he was focused on himself.

Just days after this senseless act of violence shook our nation to its core, Donald Trump had the audacity to strut before the cameras and exploit a national tragedy. He had the gall to tell the American people he was the true champion for LGBTQ people in this election, and that our community would be better off with him in the White House. He even challenged his skeptics to, and I quote, “ask the gays.”

Well, since he asked, let’s make this perfectly clear:

Donald Trump is no friend to the LGBTQ community. Donald Trump is a demagogue, a narcissist, and a con artist. And the Trump/Pence ticket, it represents the gravest threat our community has ever faced in a presidential election. There’s only one champion of equality in this race, and her initials just happen to be H-R-C.

Just look at their records…

While Donald Trump has threatened to legalize Kim Davis-style discrimination from coast to coast… Hillary Clinton has made passing the Equality Act a top legislative priority.

While Donald Trump offered a full-throated endorsement of North Carolina’s HB2 and hit the campaign trail with his lapdog Governor Pat McCrory… Hillary Clinton will ensure the full force of the federal government continues fighting these unconstitutional laws.

While Donald Trump chose as his running mate a man who once tried to divert critical HIV funding to finance so-called conversion therapy… Hillary Clinton is committed to banning conversion therapy, stopping the spread of HIV, and achieving an AIDS-free generation.

While Donald Trump is an embarrassment on the world stage, and cozies up to brutal dictators — like his campaign’s chief technology officer Vladimir Putin… Secretary Clinton made equality a cornerstone of American diplomacy, and stood before the United Nations to boldly declare that “gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.”

And before Donald Trump traveled to Orlando to headline an event hosted by some of the most hateful and dangerous extremists in America today, Hillary Clinton traveled to Orlando to lay flowers at Pulse, grieve with the families, and help a community heal. That’s what a president looks like.

You see, there’s something Donald Trump doesn’t understand about the LGBTQ community. We are as diverse as the fabric of our nation. We are Muslim. We are Jewish. We are women. We are black, white, Latino, Asian, and Native American. We are immigrants and we are people with disabilities. So when Donald Trump attacks one of us, he is attacking all of us. And we have all come too far, fought too hard, and accomplished too much to allow a serial bully to strip it all away. We don’t need a president whose first interaction with our community was struggling to read the letters “LGBTQ” off a teleprompter. We need a pro-equality champion who will turn words into actions each and every day she sits in that Oval Office.

My friends, Hillary Clinton is that champion, and she and Tim Kaine are the ones we can count on to build on all the progress we’ve made these past eight years.

And that’s why in 2016, HRC hit the ground running — endorsing early, activating our grassroots army of nearly 2 million members and supporters, and making sure voters all across this country know exactly who will fight for full federal equality and who will stand in our way.

We’re mobilizing the LGBT electorate and our allies in this country, because what we do between now and Election Day will determine what kind of America we wake up to on November 9th.

Because the truth is, while we’re all gathered together in this room tonight, somewhere at this moment, there’s a queer kid lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, terrified of going back to school on Monday where he’ll face relentless bullying and torture.

And at this moment, there’s a closeted transgender woman, sick with anxiety, knowing that coming out and living as her true self might mean she’ll never see her kids again.

And at this moment, there’s a man in Uganda fleeing from military police, desperate to leave the country after the newspaper printed his name under the headline: Known homosexuals.

This moment is our moment — and we have a decision to make. Are we going to pat ourselves on the back, celebrate our victories, and trade our progress for complacency? Or are we going to seize this moment, harness our momentum, and stand up for all the LGBTQ people who need someone to have their backs. I can tell you that right now, HRC is shifting into a higher gear and we’re answering the call on all fronts.

Because this fight is about more than just passing a law or electing a president. It is about ensuring a brighter tomorrow for future generations.

From Stonewall to Laramie to Orlando, in the face of tragedy and persecution, our community has shown time and again that we are stronger than fear. Ours is a story of perseverance, of progress, and pride, and we are living proof of that distinctly American creed, that out of many, we are one.

It is our unyielding belief in the promise of a better tomorrow that has carried us so far, and it is that same belief that will carry us to victory. And I will promise you one thing right now: with your continued support and leadership, the Human Rights Campaign won’t stop fighting until every single person, in this country and around the world, knows that tomorrow will be better than today, and that nothing can stand in the way of our freedom to live and love with the liberty and justice we deserve.

Thank you very much.