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John Kasich on Civil Rights

Republican Governor; previously Representative (OH-12); 2000 & 2016 candidate for President

 


Pray for customers with whom you disagree, but sell to them

If you're in the business of selling things, if you're not going to sell to somebody you don't agree with, OK, today I'm not going to sell to somebody who's gay, and tomorrow maybe I won't sell to somebody who's divorced. If you're in the business of commerce, conduct commerce. That's my view. And if you don't agree with their lifestyle, say a prayer for them when they leave and hope they change their behavior.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary , Feb 25, 2016

Women workers in governor's office paid $10/hr less than men

Ohio governor John Kasich got a question about his state's gender pay gap during his appearance at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and replied, "Well, a lot of it is based on experience. A lot of different factors go into it. It's all tied up in skills. Do you not have the skills to be able to compete?"

The panelist followed up, "Are you saying women workers are less skilled than men?"

"No, no, of course not," Kasich said. "I mean, a woman is now running my campaign, and she's doing a fantastic job. The head of our welfare reform office is a woman. I understand that if you exclude women, you're not as effective."

In Kasich's own governor's office, women workers earn nearly $10 an hour less than male workers, according to an Associated Press investigation published in 2014. That gap was just $3.99 an hour under Kasich's predecessor, Democrat Ted Strickland.

Source: Daily Kos on 2016 presidential hopefuls , Oct 7, 2015

Government employees should comply with gay marriage ruling

Q: Mike Huckabee says that he stands by Kim Davis [the state official who was jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses], her decision not to issue those marriage licenses. Do you agree with that?

KASICH: No, I don't agree with him. I think, you know, the court has spoken. I believe in traditional marriage, but the court has ruled. Now, I respect the fact that this lady doesn't agree, but she's also a government employee. She's not running a church. I wouldn't force this on a church, but in terms of her responsibility I think she has to comply. I don't like the fact that she's sitting in a jail, that's just absurd as well. But I think she should follow the law.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Sep 6, 2015

Can respect and love gay people

Because somebody doesn't think the way I do doesn't mean I can't care about them or can't love them. If one of my daughters happened to be that [gay], of course I would accept them. That's what we're taught when we have strong faith. God gives me unconditional love, I'm going to give it to my family and my friends and the people around me.
Source: Yahoo Politics 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Aug 7, 2015

I attended a gay wedding; accept the Supreme Court ruling

Q: If you had a son or daughter who was gay or lesbian, how would you explain to them your opposition to same-sex marriage?

KASICH: I'm an old-fashioned person here, and I happen to believe in traditional marriage.

Q: How would you explain it to a child?

KASICH: The court has ruled, and I said we'll accept it. And guess what, I just went to a wedding of a friend of mine who happens to be gay. Because somebody doesn't think the way I do, doesn't mean that I can't care about them or can't love them. So if one of my daughters happened to be that, of course I would love them and I would accept them. Because that's what we're taught when we have strong faith.We need to give everybody a chance, treat everybody with respect, and let them share in this great American dream. So, look, I'm going to love my daughters, I'm going to love them no matter what they do. Because, you know what, God gives me unconditional love. I'm going to give it to my family and my friends and the people around me.

Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript , Aug 6, 2015

I support traditional marriage, but it's time to move on

In the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, most Republican presidential hopefuls came out swinging. But not Ohio governor John Kasich.

"I do believe in traditional marriage, but the court has ruled and it's time to move on," the Ohio governor said. Kasich was one of the original defendants in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that began in Ohio in July 2013 when James Obergefell and his partner, John Arthur James, filed a lawsuit against the state because of its refusal to recognize same-sex marriage on death certificates. But he's taking a much more cautious approach than many of his GOP presidential rivals in the wake of the court's ruling. "I think everybody needs to take a deep breath to see how this evolves," Kasich said. "But I know this. Religious institutions, religious entities--you know, like the Catholic church--they need to be honored as well. I think there's an ability to strike a balance."

Source: National Review 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Jun 29, 2015

Admires courage of Aung San Suu Kyi & Rosa Parks

There are examples of grace and faith and courage all around, as we live and breathe. I especially admire the example of contemporary women, who stand with certainty in an uncertain world. Aung San Suu Kyi, the young woman from Burma who took such a forceful stand for democracy against a brutal military regime. Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian journalist wand human-rights activist who was killed for taking up the cause of the Chechen people and blowing the whistle on her own government. Rosa Parks, who proudly claimed her seat in the front of that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, and jump-started the civil-rights movement. The women in Iran who march bravely through the streets and dare to take off their chadors. These women are everywhere, and all around, and they bring about change on the back of their conviction.

Certainly, some of these strong women found their models in the stories of the Old and New Testaments, but it's clear to me that all of them were answering to a higher power.

Source: Every Other Monday, by John Kasich, p.132 , Jun 15, 2010

Made speech in high school to ease tensions during race riot

When I was old enough, I borrowed a page from my mother and stood tall for what I felt was right. There was a race riot in our school. There were precious few blacks among our student body, but there was enough tension to get a full-fledged riot going, and I took the microphone at a school board meeting and berated the community for not doing enough to ease the tension. I didn't think about it; I just stood and said my piece. And do you know what? Folks listened. I was barely seventeen years old, confronting several hundred adults in a real crisis situation, shining what I hoped was a positive, hopeful light, and I somehow got to the heart of the matter and stilled the crowd. Why? Because I'd seen my mother argue with anybody about anything--as long as she believed in it. Because it seemed to me to be the right thing to do. Because it was in my bones. Because it needed doing.
Source: Stand For Something, by John Kasich, p. 51 , May 10, 2006

End “racial profiling” locally, or federally

In racial profiling, police stop people either when they match the race of a suspect or when they are in a neighborhood consisting primarily of residents of another race. “The practice should be ended in every community in America,’’ Kasich said. ”That’s just not the way our justice system is supposed to work.’’ Kasich said he wants to give mayors and governors the opportunity to halt racial profiling on their own. But if they don’t, it may be time for the federal government to step in.
Source: Columbus (OH) Dispatch, “Urban League”, May 18, 1999 , May 18, 1999

Affirmative action OK via recruitment; not via quotas

Affirmative action is a positive concept when it means we recruit from all segments of our society, and give all Americans the equal opportunity to compete. It is positive when it means recruiting from Howard University as well as Harvard University. Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles. The effect of which is to raise questions in people’s minds about the merits of individuals in quality jobs.
Source: Columbus (OH) Urban League Speech, May 17, 1999 , May 17, 1999

Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC.

Vote on an amendment banning adoptions in District of Columbia by gays or other individuals who are not related by blood or marriage.
Reference: Amendment introduced by Largent, R-OK; Bill HR 2587 ; vote number 1999-346 on Jul 29, 1999

Voted YES on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions.

HR 6, the Higher Education Amendments Act of 1997, would prohibit any post-secondary institution that participates in any program under the Higher Education Act from discriminating or granting any preferential treatment in admission based on race, sex, ethnicity, color or national origin.
Reference: Amendment introduced by Riggs, R-CA.; Bill HR 6 ; vote number 1998-133 on May 6, 1998

Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage.

Kasich supports the CC survey question on banning same-sex marriage

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Federal Marriage Amendment to prevent same sex marriage"

Source: Christian Coalition Survey 10-CC-q3 on Aug 11, 2010

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Page last updated: Mar 15, 2019