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Al Gore Addressed Anti-Gay School in April

November 3, 2000

On April 10, 2000, Al Gore spoke at a Union University ceremony honoring his mother, giving her an honorary degree, and creating a scholarship in her name. Union University is a private Baptist school in Jackson, Tennessee.

He began his remarks by saying that Union University "has always been a special place for our family." He ended his remarks by saying that "as long as I live, I will be grateful to Union University."

His remarks are proudly displayed on the White House web site.

But Union University is an anti-gay institution.

Union University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities" document states:

"MORAL IMPROPRIETY – Moral impropriety is defined as participation in premarital sex, extramarital sex, homosexual activity or any form of deviant sexual behavior or cohabitation." "Minimum sanction: Fine and Community Service hours."

Read it for yourself on page 7 of the Union University Student Handbook.

Union University bills itself proudly as "an institution of the Tennessee Baptist Convention," a body which has scores of virulently anti-gay articles published on its website, including one entitled "Sometimes We Just Have to Be Intolerant".

We will wait patiently for a press release from the Human Rights Campaign denouncing this speech, and for a story by Jake Tapper of Salon.com about how outraged HRC is over it.

In the meantime, it's time for us to build a truly bipartisan movement.