Compiled by Howard Israel
S/he Said
"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples. That's what the North Carolina ballot initiative would do – it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples – and that's why the President does not support it."
-Cameron French, President Obama's North Carolina campaign spokesman, in a statement about NC's Amendment One, the ballot proposal that would add an amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage in NC and any other type of "domestic legal union" such as civil unions and domestic partnerships, but also bar unmarried heterosexual couples from many benefits, including protection of laws involving domestic violence between and domestic-partner insurance coverage, Charlotte Observer, http://www.Charlotteobserver.com, Mar. 17.
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"Whether you agree or disagree with same-sex marriage, that is a personal and religious choice. You should disagree with anybody who is writing hatred and discrimination into the constitution. You should vote against this amendment that strips some North Carolina families of their human rights."
-Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president, North Carolina NAACP, about NC's Amendment One, Winston-Salem Journal http://www2.Journalnow.com, Apr. 18.
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"A new analysis of 2010 U.S. Census data has found that same-sex couples are more likely to be interracial or inter-ethnic compared to their heterosexual counterparts… 20.6 percent, or more than one in five same-sex couples, were interracial or inter-ethnic, compared with 18.3 percent of straight unmarried couples, and 9.5 percent of straight married couples. Among the study's other interesting findings: those same-sex couples which included a racial or ethnic minority were also more likely to be raising children, and the number of same-sex couple-led households increased at a faster rate between 2000 and 2010 compared to that of married or unmarried heterosexual households."
-Gary Gates, Williams Distinguished Scholar at UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute, in his report titled "Same-Sex Couples In Census 2010: Race And Ethnicity," finding that same-sex couples are most likely to be interracial or interethnic, http://Williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu, Apr 26.
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"Fifteen years ago today, Ellen DeGeneres's character Ellen Morgan came out of the closet while 42 million Americans watched. During the fourth season of 'Ellen' in 1997, DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian in an appearance on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' Shortly afterwards on the April 30, 1997, episode of 'Ellen' titled "The Puppy Episode," her character Ellen Morgan also came out to a therapist played by Winfrey, and the series went on to explore various LGBT issues including the coming out process. Thank you Ellen for an inspirational fifteen years."
-JoeBlow, blogger, on his blog site titled "The Closet Professor," in his posting titled "The Puppy Episode," http://Closetprofessor.blogspot.com, Apr. 30.
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