CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS WHO BACK SSM: Deb Price

...[NAACP Chairman Julian] Bond is part of a courageous list himself once again these days: Prominent heterosexual African Americans who support full marriage rights for those of us who're gay. That growing honor roll includes Coretta Scott King, Congressman John Lewis, former Democratic presidential candidates Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton, and the Rev. William Sinkford, the president of the Unitarian Universalist denomination, who on May 17 presided over one of the first gay weddings blessed by Massachusetts. ...

In addition to lining up high-profile heterosexual allies, other coups this year include:
* Marriage lawsuits: Black couples are taking leading roles in key challenges to marriage discrimination. In Maryland, three of the nine couples suing are African-American. ...

* Accountability: Tuan N’Gai launched OperationRebirth.com to hold black ministers accountable for anti-gay sermons and to empower other black gay Christians. ...

* Teamwork: The National Black Justice Coalition and the California Freedom to Marry Coalition are hosting a historic conference in Los Angeles on Oct. 19 to build support in the black community for same-sex marriage. (Details: civilmarriage.org)

* Media exposure: The coalition has run ads in black newspapers about black gays' desire to marry.

* Evidence: On Oct. 5, the coalition and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will release a study showing black gay couples are more likely than white gay couples to hold government jobs. That means they'd be more hurt by the state anti-gay marriage amendments being voted on this fall, because most, like Michigan’s, also threaten to strip away partner benefits.

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posted by Eve at 2:35 PM | link

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