Chuck Butcher, a self-described "gun-toting, drag racing rural Oregonian Democrat," believes that "every law abiding citizen should have the same rights and responsibilities as every other law abiding citizen."

A former candidate for Congress in Eastern Oregon, Chuck deems equality to be one of the founding principles of the United States.  That equality, he believes, "should not be dependent on a person’s sexual orientation."

Chuck notes that the attitude towards LGBTQ people in the small, rural town of Baker City is one of "bemused tolerance." Although you're "not likely to get beat up, you're probably not going to be real popular." When running for Congress, he had to be careful in his language choice, treading a fine line between his support of the LGBTQ population and alienation of other constituents.  Now, however, Chuck does not need to be so cautious, and is very vocal in his beliefs about equality for all Oregonians.

When first asked to be a Voice for Equality, Chuck recalls his thoughts about how being a Voice might affect his reputation:  "If I don't do this I lose my reputation. I lose it where it counts, with me. I've never cared about odds - I care about doing right; I care that I see me doing what I believe."  And he believes in standing up for equality for all law-abiding citizens, regardless of sexual orientation.

Now in his 50s, Chuck fondly remembers the Civil Rights Movement and the positive steps the United States has made in addressing inequalities since then, but believes now we must go one step further.  Passing statewide antidiscrimination legislation, and creating the legal framework to recognize same-sex relationships, Chuck says, are "good first steps" towards remedying discrimination and "treating everyone the same under the law."