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Ben Jones Speaks on AIDS and Lesbian/Gay Civil Rights
Perhaps best known for his role as "Cooler"
on the "Dukes of Hazard" television program,
actor turned politician Ben Jones played an
active part in civic organizations before
entering the political arena. Jones was the only
Democrat to mount a serious challenge to
Republican Pat Swindall's first bid for re
election in 1986. Two years after thatfirst
election, Jones is clearly the Democratic front
runner in the race to unseat Swindall. Jones
spoke candidly with Southern Voice in an
interview held May 2,1988.
Southern Voice: How do you identify yourself?
Are you a liberal Democrat, a moderate
Democrat, a conservative Democrat? Where
do you place yourself in that kind of a
spectrum?
Ben Jones: I don't Other people will always be
more than happy to put labels on one. I've used
the term mainstream Democrat simply in
juxtaposition to what I consider to be the
extreme policies of Swindall. I think I represent
a broader spectrum of political opinion that vote
and live in America. I think of myself as a
populist Liberal on some things, conservative
on others.
SV: Has AIDS effected you in any way?
BJ: I've lost a lot of friends to that disease. And
I was one of the first people raising hell about the
fact that there seemed to be very little
responsibility and leadership at the Federal level.
In die early 80's, it seemed to me that the
seriousness of the epidemic wasn’t being
properly addressed. As a result, I think we lost a
lot of people that we didn't need to lose.
SV: There has been discussion on how a t2
billion dollar target amount should be spent
between education, care of people with AIDS
(PWAs) and research. What emphasis would
you place on spending plans? Would you place
more emphasis on research and care...?
BJ: Yes. Does anyone by now not know what
causes AIDS?
SV: Surprisingly, a lot of people don't.
BJ: I hear that, but I don't see them. I don’t find
them. I know you've got the unwashed needle
epidemic. There is that going cm, but I think a
lot of people are just too stoned to care or know
or whatever. They have been told. I think,
obviously, that we have to continue the
education effort until everybody does know.
Whatever it takes. We've got to get into the
schools better with this message. Folks know.
It's not that complicated what causes AIDS.
We've got to spend money on finding a cure.
SV: You mentioned getting the information
into the schools. At what age to you see
children getting AIDS education in the
classroom?
BJ: You start it as early as possible. As early as
the understanding is there.
SV: 5th grade? 8th grade?
BJ: Yes, yes. Whatever it takes to save lives.
We've got children dying from AIDS.
SV: Whom do you think should be tested for
HIV, the so-caded AIDS virus? Immigrants?
BJ: I think so.
SV: Prisoners?
BJ: Yes.
SV: The Military?
BJ: Yes.
SV: People not in any of these categories,
should there be a mandatory testing program
for them? Should insurance companies be
allowed to require HIV testing?
BJ: I think people should want to know whether
or not they have the vims. If you're going to try
and get insurance from someone, voluntarily,
and they say it's a part of their process (the HIV
antibody test) then that's just part of the deal. Is
that mandatory or not?
J do not believe in mandatorily testing
everyone in the United States, but hopefully
through wide-scale voluntary testing programs
people will take the test and learn their antibody
status. Folks need to know whether or not they
have it, because it is fatal.
S V: Would you protest someone who now
knows they have a positive result to the test
from discrimination based on their antibody
status?
BJ: I don't believe people should be
discriminated against because of it. There are
legal discriminations- if this person is a threat.
There are protections already in place in sane
situations. In others, those protections simply do
not exist. My concern is that AIDS earners are
identified. That they are not discriminated
situations. In others, those protections simply do not
exist My concern is that AIDS carriers are identified.
That they are not discriminated against because they
are AIDS earners. To put an end to this hysteria, as it
were. To continue the research into finding a cure.
SV: Canyou find apoint where someone has-to
paraphrase you - taken the responsibility to know
their HIV status - and then lost their job because of
being sero-posiiive? Would you support
discrimination-protection legislation?
BJ: I think we should take that case by case. I'm sorry,
but it becomes a question of public health. The public
safety comes before someone's job protectioa
SV: HB 709, the Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Bid,
will probably come up for vote next year. Will you
sign on as a co-sponsor for that bid?
BJ: No.
SV: Why not?
BJ: I have a problem with extending civil rights
protection to personal behavior. And 1 realize that this
opens a Pandora's Box of interpretations.
Right now, I don't know if the bill will stand the test
of the Constitution, because it hangs on whether or not
sexual behavior can be shown to be a birthright.
I am appalled by people who discriminate against
people because of their sexual orientation and no other
reason What consenting adults do in the privacy of
to homes should be none of my business, and none
of the government's business. Because of that posture,
as I said, it’s kind of a traditional value of mine, but I
cannot see it becoming the government's business to
extend civil rights protection beyond those that are
obviously birthrights-sex, age and race. And I don't
think the founding fathers intended to extend that to
sexual orientation, personal behavior a lifestyle. It
gets into a very gray area.
There may come that point in time, I'm open on it I
seek more education about il I have great gay and
lesbian friends who have brought me lots of material
on issues of great concern to the gay and lesbian
community.
I stand in opposition to those who make to living
in demagogical prejudicial blasts of gay bashing -
calling homosexuality a sin. I think that is appalling
and unnecessary.
SV: One reason behind the anti-discrimination bid is
to allow people to escape the fear that forces them to
live a closeted Iff. Another reason is that it would
legalize and recognize same-sex relationships. Do
you feel that same-sex relationships should be
recognized?
BJ: I think we are flitting hairs on things like that
When you take a job, you may realize that the
employer is of that bent (homophobic), and say the
hell with the company picnic.
If sexual behavior is a private matter, to it should
not be a public issue in the work-place. I don't think
you should fire someone because of to private
sexual behavior - whether homosexual or
heterosexual. Where I think we have a much worse
situation in the gay community, as I understand it, is
with toe laws which are at the books that are not
enforced which protea gays on a personal level
everyday on die streets.
When I hear about people being beaten a killed,
with no legal recourse, these arc laws that already
exist, and people are afraid to report assaults and things
like that to die police. These are rights dial any citizen
is supposed to have. And that angers me that people
are not given the rights they already are supposed to
have - as Americans are supposed to have.
SV: Are you aware of the LeighVanderEls case? If
I may, I'd give you a brief history, and then I'd like
your reaction to it. She is a resident of Clayton
County, and a lesbian mother whose child was
removedfrom her in a change of custody hearing two
years after the original divorce and custody orders
were issued. This goes back to the broad xope of
human rights, since at no point in the trial did the ex
husband even attempt to prove that VanderEls was
anything less than a wonderful mother. It was strictly
a matter cfher sexuality. Whatwouldyouhavedone
if you were that judge? Should gays and lesbians k
allowed to parent children?
BJ: The love between a parent and child transcends
private sexual behavior. The love between a mother
and a child surely is the strongest love that exists. If
Democrat Ben Jones
her lifestyle, whatever form it takes - heterosexual a
homosexual - if it woe such to lead to instability in the
home, then as reasonable people we might say this
wasn't a healthy situation for die child. But that wasn't
shown in this case. And that saddens me.
SV: Wouldyou support legislation to change that?
BJ: I’d have a big problem with changing that This
comes from the traditionalist side of me that for a child
the influence of the traditional male-female mother-
lather role needs to be there. No matter how caring or
loving these homosexual parents would be, that
balance would not be there fa the child.
There are obviously ways, however, that gay men
and lesbians can help to raise and influence children.
Teach them to be healthy and wholesome.
SV: Such as schoolteachers?
BJ: I’ve got no problem with that. Sexuality is a
Photo by Jeannine Quintana
private matter and it takes place after work.
SV: What makes your candidacy more attractive to
gay and lesbian voters that NickMoritakis'?
BJ: I’ve been doing this for two years, every day, all
day long. I’ve goto a tremendous political education,
articulate and effective as a spokesperson for all of the
people of the district I’m also a proven vote getter. I
have a very good chance of unseating Swindall in
November. I am a mae experienced candidate, a
moe articulate candidate and a more electable
candidate.
- Chris Duncan
Lookfor an interview with Jones' Democratic
challenger, Nick Moritakis, in the next issue of
Southern Voice.
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