S/he Said
"I think (the Democratic platform) should (include marriage equality), period, end of sentence," she said. "But it sort of goes to the conversation we just had about President Obama – he needs to evolve faster, he needs to know where his base is. But if he doesn't get there, and if the party platform doesn't get there, I'm a pragmatist and I look at the alternative. Let us not go to the Democratic convention and rip each other up as Democrats because we're not getting to the right result fast enough. Let's try to move people along as far as we can, and then join ranks. Please, Rick Santorum? Newt Gingrich? That's truly scary. Mitt Romney – not a good choice."
-Annise Parker, Democratic mayor of Houston, Texas, in a column titled "Annise Parker, Houston Mayor, On President Obama, Gay Marriage And Being An Out Politician," http://www.huffingtonpost.com, Feb. 17.
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"An overwhelming majority of Democrats support the freedom to marry, as do a significant majority of Independents and voters under 50 across the political spectrum," said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, which is leading the campaign. "The Democratic Party has a noble history of fighting for the human and civil rights of all Americans. It's now time for the national party to be true to its values and its voters and go unequivocally on record for the freedom to marry."
-Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, in a column titled
"Freedom To Marry Pushes DNC To Incorporate Marriage Equality Into 2012 Party Platform," http://www.huffingtonpost.com, Feb. 13. Freedom to Marry, a coalition committed to winning and keeping the freedom to marry for same-gender couples, leads the 'Democratic: Say I Do' campaign.
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"Under current law, a heterosexual couple can choose to enter into a marriage or a civil union. A same-sex couple, however, may only elect a civil union. My obligation as Governor is to support equality under law. This is inequality, and I will not defend it."
-Neil Abercrombie, Democratic governor of Hawaii, in a response to a recent lawsuit challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage, http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com, Feb. 22.
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"I'm proud to join Freedom to Marry's 'Democrats: Say, I Do' campaign. Along with the more than 20,000 Americans who have already signed the online petition, I call on the Democratic Platform Committee to affirm the freedom to marry in our party's national convention platform this September. Any Democratic statement of core beliefs about the importance of families must include all our families, gay and straight. Our party has a long tradition of leading the charge on important questions of justice. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to stand up for the rights of same-sex couples and their families."
-Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic senator of New Hampshire, in a public announcement declaring her support for the 'Democrats: Say, I do' campaign, http://www.freedomtomarry.org, Feb. 28.
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