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Fred Thompson on Gay Rights

Sexuality can be a determining factor in certain rights alotted to individuals in the US. The benefits and definition of "marriage" are being challenged to consider gay couples and their intrinsic rights. This topic includes information about candidate positions on: gay marriage, civil unions, the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell policy", and federal benefits for same-sex couples.

The issues

Fred Thompson strongly opposes gay marriage

Q: "So if a state said, 'We want to have gay marriages in our state,' you would be okay with that?" THOMPSON: "Marriage is between a man and a woman, and nobody ever thought that that was contested until recently.... I would support a constitutional amendment that addresses this judge-created problem...and say judges can't [legalize gay marriage]. But at the end of the day, if a state legislature and a governor decide that that's what they want to do, yes, they should have the freedom to do what Fred Thompson thinks is a very bad idea."

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"Marriage is between a man and a woman, and I don't believe judges ought to come along and change that."

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While in the Senate, Thompson voted for the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, a bill to "define and protect the institution of marriage" as between a man and a woman.

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"Thompson was asked during a campaign stop in Sioux City if he supported a federal ban on gay marriage, which most but not all of the candidates seeking the 2008 GOP nomination support. He responded by suggesting the U.S. Constitution be amended to bar court decisions in one state on gay marriage from being recognized in another. The provision is part of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act, which Thompson voted for in the Senate."

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Fred Thompson opposes civil unions

"I personally do not think that [civil unions are] a good idea, but I believe in many of these cases where there's real dispute in the country, these things are not going to be ever resolved. People are going to have different ideas. That's why we have states. We ought to give great leeway to states and not have the federal government and not have the Supreme Court of the United States making social policy that's contrary to the traditions of this country and changing that overnight. And that's what's happened in a lot of these areas."

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Fred Thompson strongly opposes extending federal rights and benefits to same-sex couples

"I think that we ought to be a tolerant nation. I think we ought to be tolerant people. But we shouldn't set up special categories for anybody. And I'm for the rights of everybody, including gays, but not any special rights."

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Fred Thompson strongly opposes allowing gays to serve openly in the military

"He opposes hate-crime laws to protect gays, opposes ENDA, and supports the military's policy as it stands today."

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