Responses of James Jennings to GLAA 2007 Questionnaire
for DC Council Candidates
| Yes/No | Substance | Record | Championship | Total |
| 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 |
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. As a member of the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee, will you support funding for mandatory gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) sensitivity and diversity training for all members of the Fire/EMS Department?
Yes. The reason I would support funding is that all people regardless of age, sexual preference or race, the D.C. Fire/ EMS need to treat all people accordingly in a profession manner.
2. Will you press the Metropolitan Police Department to combat the transphobia entrenched within our police force, expressed in the widespread assumption among police officers that every transgendered person is a prostitute until proven otherwise?
Yes, the judicial system is step up to ensure that every person is innocent until proven guilty and I would try to ensure that the Police Department is reminded of the laws here in the District of Columbia.
3. Will you support a budget for the Office of Police Complaints large enough to continue to avoid developing a backlog of cases?
Yes, because all citizens complaints should have a fast process and results.
AIDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
4. Do you agree that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents should include funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those testing positive?
Yes. The district is the smallest of all neighboring states; however have the largest HIV/ Aids rate, this is very alarming to see, if we put structured counseling and treatment facilities in the neighborhoods, then I believe that more people would get tested and the awareness will also increase and the rates of new cases will diminish.
5. Are you committed to continuing and expanding the District’s condom distribution program?
Yes, reason being is that condoms should be accessible to all people regardless of age or sexual preferences; this may combat some of our alarming HIV/Aids rates.
6. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?
Yes, I am not totally clear as to why you would want to switch to a names reporting system, this entire tactic would do will be to make more people shy away from testing and it will make an already epidemic more out of control.
HUMAN RIGHTS
7. Will you support a budget for the Office of Human Rights (OHR) large enough to allow it to reduce to 270 days the average gap between the time that a discrimination complaint is filed and the time OHR issues a finding of probable cause?
Yes, because this office should have sufficient amount of employees to be productive in processing all cases and effective and a quickly manner.
8. Will you block ceremonial resolutions and otherwise decline to honor individuals or organizations that promote any sort of bigotry?
Yes, I look into the I have a dream speech which states; I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.
9. Are you committed to publicizing and enforcing the provisions of the D.C. Human Rights Act forbidding discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression?
Yes, I am committed to publicizing and enforcing this Act accordingly, it is my opinion that we are all one and we should all be respected as the same being.
10. Do you agree that the Director of the Office of Human Rights should be required to have professional training and experience in civil rights law enforcement?
Yes, I do agree because without training in very sensitive matters as such, how can you effectively lead an office that thrives on human rights.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
11. Do you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
Yes, because judges in other states have approved this legal recognition of marriages between same sex couples and the district should follow suit of other states.
12. Will you support legislation in the District to continue expanding the existing domestic partnership program to include all relevant rights and responsibilities of marriage in D.C. law?
Yes, because it should be fair to all regardless of sex and this issue should be left between the consenting adults.
13. Will you support the legislative and/or regulatory changes necessary to ensure that the District recognizes civil unions, domestic partnerships and similar legal relationships established in other jurisdictions?
Yes, because it is only fair that all people regardless of race or sexual preference be given the same considerations under the law.
14. Will you oppose legislation giving special benefits to PEPCO until it implements an equitable domestic partner benefit program?
Yes, because same sex couples should have the same benefits as those of all relationships.
15. Do you agree that private contractors doing business with the District should be required to provide domestic partner programs?
Yes, I feel that all contractors should not discriminate just because of sexual preferences.
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND YOUTH
16. Do you oppose both federal and local voucher programs that fund students in religious schools that are beyond the protections of the D.C. Human Rights Act?
Yes, we are not affording all students with the protection in these religious schools and therefore are subjecting these children to all sorts of mental anguish.
17. As a member of the Committee of the Whole which now has jurisdiction over the public school system, will you oppose the use of either federal or District taxpayer funds to promote “abstinence only until marriage” sex education that undermines safer-sex programs by discouraging the use of condoms and that effectively tells gay and lesbian students that they must remain celibate forever because they may not legally marry?
Yes, we are telling our gay and lesbian children that only men and women get married so therefore you should always be celibate forever and not allowed to understand what love actually means.
CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES
18. As a member of the Public Works and Environment Committee which has jurisdiction over ABC licenses, will you support the relocation of the many gay bars and businesses that were displaced by the new ballpark, even if local NIMBYs and homophobes oppose them?
Yes, I would support them moving to other locations, why should we limit them to have freedom over their lives.
19. Will you support legislation to curb the abuses of NIMBYs who are now allowed to file an endless series of baseless complaints to harass or extort bars and restaurants?
Yes, it is not fair that the only way to keep your bar or restaurant is to be harassed and often pay crazy fees just to stay afloat because you are different from the “norm”.
Please provide the URL for your campaign website, if you have one. We will include it on our candidate links page.
Your record is part of your rating. Please list any actions that you have taken that may help illustrate your record on behalf of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders.
I am advising your organization that I am supporting D.C. Mayor Fenty's proposal to take over D.C. Public Schools and Universities, I am lobying to establish a D.C. Sheriff Department to assist the D.C. Metropolitan Police to combat crime in all neighborhoods.
I support the Federal Court's decision to overturn D.C. Gun Control Act. I also support Jobs for D.C. Residents & Affordable Housing. I attended the D.C. Public Schools System. I then continueed my education at the University of the District of Columbia for two years. I am open for any questions or suggestions your organization may have.
