Civil Rights
The diversity of Hawai‘i’s people is our strength. By opening its arms and welcoming people from all corners of the world, of all races, religions and walks of life, Hawai‘i has created a rainbow society that is a model for the rest of the nation.
We must preserve our tradition of aloha by making sure our laws treat all who live here equally. We cannot single out any group of law-abiding citizens and deny them rights and benefits enjoyed by the rest of us. As governor, I will support laws that prohibit discrimination in places of public accommodation. No one should ever be turned away from a hotel or restaurant because of the color of their skin, their religion, their gender or their sexual orientation.
I will also work to ensure equal treatment of all Hawai‘i’s people when the government grants the important legal protections and benefits currently triggered by civil marriage. The divisive debate over same-gender marriage has distracted us for far too long from the real issue: whether we must ensure equal protection of the laws to all, regardless of sexual orientation. I believe the government should get out of the business of sanctifying marriages; that is a matter properly left to religious institutions. The government should limit its role in regulating relationships to one form of civil union whose rights and responsibilities are available to everyone in Hawai‘i, gay or straight.
By perpetuating our culture of diversity and tolerance, we make Hawai‘i a better place for all of us to live.