Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Washington Blade - October 27, 2006
Eric Ervin
The discontent stems from the Oct. 10 appointment of U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Mark Dybul. Dybul was administered the oath of office by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. At the ceremony, Rice recognized Dybul's domestic partner, Jason Claire, and his partner's mother, referring to her as his "mother-in-law."
BUT RICE'S WORDS DID NOT sit well with evangelical organizations, which called her comments "offensive" and "disappointing."
Tom Minnery, senior vice president for government and public policy for Focus on the Family, called Rice's comments "astonishing."
"That's astonishing that that fact would be underscored, highlighted by the Secretary of State. This is very provocative and very disappointing," Minnery told Family News in Focus, a newsletter published by the conservative group.
Peter Spriggs, vice president for policy with the Family Research Council, called Rice's comment "profoundly offensive." He also said a gay man can't be qualified for the post that has the rank of an ambassador.
"We have to face the fact that putting a homosexual in charge of AIDS policy is a bit like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse," Sprigg told Family News in Focus. "But even beyond that, the deferential treatment that was given not only to him but his partner and his partner's family by the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is very distressing."
Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, questioned the White House's policy on same-sex marriage in response to Rice's statements.
"Neither federal law (the Defense of Marriage Act) nor District of Columbia law recognizes a marriage between Dr. Dybul and his partner, and 'mother-in-law' is therefore both linguistically (and possibly legally) improper and morally provocative," he said in an Oct. 16 letter to members.
REPEATED CALLS TO the White House press office were not returned by deadline.
Asked by WorldNetDaily.com, a Christian news website, how Rice's comments "adhere to the president's belief in policy that marriage is between one man and one woman," Bush press secretary Tony Snow brushed off the question.
"The secretary said what she said, and she was showing due deference to the people involved," Snow answered, according to an Oct. 21 report.
Meanwhile, gay rights organizations applauded Rice's actions.
"I think it was a nice recognition of a heart-warming relationship between Mr. Dybul and his partner," said Patrick Sammon, executive vice president of the gay political group Log Cabin Republicans.
"I think it's a positive sign that the president will pick an openly gay man, but ultimately qualifications and competence will be the deciding factors," he said.
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