Compiled by Howard Israel
S/he Said
"
Our crisis has nothing to do with private morality. It's a crisis of public morality – of abuses of public trust that undermine the integrity of our economy and democracy and have led millions of Americans to conclude the game is rigged. What's truly immoral is not what adults choose to do with other consenting adults. It's what those with great power have chosen to do to the rest of us. It is immoral that top executives are richly rewarded no matter how badly they screw up while most Americans are screwed no matter how hard they work. Regressive Republicans have no problem intruding on the most personal and most intimate decisions any of us makes while railing against government intrusions on big business. They don't hesitate to hurl the epithets 'shameful,' 'disgraceful,' and 'contemptible' at private moral decisions they disagree with, while staying stone silent in the face of the most contemptible violations of public trust at the highest reaches of the economy. We must protect and advance private rights of individuals over intimate bedroom decisions. We must also stop the abuses of economic power and privilege that are characterizing so many decisions in the nation's boardrooms and executive suites."
-Robert Reich, political economist, professor, author, Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, in his blog posting titled "Of Bedrooms and Boardrooms," about the Republican focus on America's bedrooms, rather than America's boardrooms, http://robertreich.org/, May 10.
"When I raise these issues, some complain that I'm pushing for 'new rights' or 'special rights' for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. But there is nothing new or special about the right to life and security of person, the right to freedom from discrimination. These and other rights are universal… enshrined in international law but denied to many of our fellow human beings simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. States must repeal discriminatory laws and ban discriminatory practices: punish violence and hatred… not love."
-Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement titled "On anti-homophobia day, UN calls for repeal of discriminatory laws," marking International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, http://www.un.org/news/, May 17. Observed on 17 May, International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia has become asks people around the world to pause and remember the victims of homophobic violence and discrimination, and support equality for LGBT people.
"The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure the political, social and economic equality of all people. We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law. Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law."
-Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NAACP, in a statement in support of marriage equality as a continuation of its historic commitment to equal protection under the law, http://www.naacp.org, May 19.
"Remember, Republicans characterized the war on women as a Democratic strategy to divert attention from the 'real issue' of the economy. We'll see if the GOP will be as dismissive with gay rights. Or will the fact that in 2004, George W. Bush successfully used discrimination against the GLBT community to motivate his base be too juicy a strategy for Romney and the gang to pass up? Keep in mind that a poll taken in late March showed gay rights was tied for dead last in what voters felt was the most important issue, so if the GOP does try to use Obama's remarks as weapons against him, there is a good chance the rhetoric will fall on deaf ears. If Romney can't get any more traction from his calling card, nor a boost from his vice presidential selection, there is the possibility the economy will take a backseat to gay rights in his campaign."
-LZ Granderson, CNN Contributor, in his column titled "Will Romney use gay marriage issue against Obama?," http://www.cnn.com/OPINION, May 10.
