Platform 2012: Equality of Opportunity
The California Democratic Party recognizing that a great disparity exists between the top 1% and the rest of Americans and understands that institutionalized racism, classism, sexism and anti-gay bias contributes to that disparity, believes that all persons deserve the opportunity to participate fully in the economic, cultural, political and social facets of society. We take pride in and celebrate our diversity and work to foster the common values and commitments that unite all people regardless of their age, cultural heritage, national origin, disability, socio-economic status, gender, race, sexual orientation or views on religion.
To fight for all people to live with dignity and equality, California Democrats will:
- Speak out in a unified voice against hatred, racism and violence directed against any minority group;
- Encourage, support and defend voluntary and mandatory affirmative action measures to enhance access and equity in employment, education and business opportunities;
- Affirm that the decision to accept or reject any religious belief, to bind oneself to any religious creed, or to hold no religious belief at all is a private matter and should always remain a matter of individual conscience, and we oppose giving any government funding to organizations that discriminate;
- Protect the constitutional rights of Native Americans and the sovereign rights of Indian nations as well as the tribal sovereignty and well-established rights and jurisdictions of California Native/Indian nations;
- Support nondiscrimination and equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people in all aspects of their lives; and
- We support the LGBT community in its quest for the right to legal marriage as well as the respective clergies' complete religious freedom to solemnize marriages in accordance with their beliefs.