"In a messy world where rights often collide, we can't avoid arguing about where legitimate dissent ends and intolerable discrimination begins. What we can do is avoid a trap the other side has set for us. Incidents of rage against 'haters,' verbal abuse of opponents, boycotts of business owners, absolutist enforcement of antidiscrimination laws: Those and other 'zero-tolerance' tactics play into the 'homosexual bullies' narrative, which is why our adversaries publicize them so energetically. The other side, is counting on us to hand them the victimhood weapon. Our task is to deny it to them."
– Jonathan Rauch, in his column titled "The Majority Report," about the growing majority of people in mainstream society who support LGBT people/issues, http://www.advocate.com.
"By examining FBI data, it is possible to make reasonable estimates of the rates of victimization by various targeted minority groups…. The figures show that homosexuals are 2.4 times more likely to suffer a violent hate crime attack than Jews, 2.6 times more likely to be attacked than blacks; 4.4 times more likely than Muslims; 13.8 times more likely than Latinos; and 41.5 times more likely than whites, according to the FBI figures. The basic pattern holds by years as well as across the years. The bottom line: Gay people are more than twice as likely to be attacked in a violent hate crime as Jews or blacks; more than four times as likely as Muslims; and 14 times as likely as Latinos."
– Mark Potok, in an article titled "Anti-Gay Hate Crimes: Doing the Math," about data compiled by the Intelligence Project of The Southern Poverty Law Center, http://www.splcenter.org, Winter 2010 Issue.
"To all the amazing kids that watch our show, and the kids that our show celebrates who are constantly told 'No' by the people and environments, by bullies at school that they can't be who they are or have what they want because of who they are. Well, screw that kids!"
– Chris Colfer, 20-year old actor, the character "Kurt Hummel" on "Glee,", during his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes 2011, after receiving the Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series award, http://www.tvsquad.com, Jan. 16.
"Why should the sexual orientation of this eminently competent, compassionate person keep coming up in this tale? It matters because guys like Arizona Sen. John McCain, who described the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' as 'a very sad day,' still think that orientation has an effect on whether or not a person can ably serve in the military. It matters because the notion that two people of the same sex can love each other and build a life together is still considered in many parts of the country, including Arizona, a threat to what is laughably referred to as 'traditional marriage.' "
– Mary Elizabeth Williams, in her column titled "The Giffords shooting's gay, Hispanic hero – Daniel Hernandez helped save the congresswoman's life – and yes, his sexuality and ethnicity matter," http://www.salon.com, Jan. 10.
