by Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
A release this afternoon from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is another, and a quite significant, indication that “the times, they are a-changin’.”
Via NAACP:
Decision Affirms Opposition to Government Efforts to Codify Discrimination …
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today released a resolution supporting marriage equality. At a meeting of the 103-year old civil rights group’s board of directors, the organization voted to support marriage equality as a continuation of its historic commitment to equal protection under the law.
‘The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure the political, social and economic equality of all people,’ said Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NAACP. ‘We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law.’
‘Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. The NAACP’s support for marriage equality is deeply rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and equal protection of all people’ said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP.
The NAACP has addressed civil rights with regard to marriage since Loving v. Virginia declared anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional in 1967. In recent years the NAACP has taken public positions against state and federal efforts to ban the rights and privileges for LGBT citizens, including strong opposition to Proposition 8 in California, the Defense of Marriage Act, and most recently, North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which changed the state constitution’s to prohibit same sex marriage.
Below is the text of the resolution passed by the NAACP board of directors:
‘The NAACP Constitution affirmatively states our objective to ensure the ‘political, educational, social and economic equality’ of all people. Therefore, the NAACP has opposed and will continue to oppose any national, state, local policy or legislative initiative that seeks to codify discrimination or hatred into the law or to remove the Constitutional rights of LGBT citizens. We support marriage equality consistent with equal protection under the law provided under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Further, we strongly affirm the religious freedoms of all people as protected by the First Amendment.’
A Human Rights Campaign release regarding the announcement begins:
On the heels of President Obama’s historic support for marriage equality and subsequent polling on the issue among African-Americans, the NAACP Board of Directors today endorsed marriage equality. …
Half of African-Americans, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll conducted earlier this month, back marriage equality. The Journal reported, ‘Almost every demographic slice was more in favor of gay marriage than it had been in 2009.’
One of my favorite parts of the NAACP release: “We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law.”
Another great step in the right direction!
I think its great that the NAACP came out in support for Gay Marriage, and for that Wall Street/NBC Poll, Its fantastic that every minority including Caucasians found to accept Gay Marriage than in 2009. I am honestly thankful to the President for his support of Gay Marriage, even though there is other issues that I cannot overlook when it comes to President Obamas policies. Gay activists and their progressive and moderate and independent friends deserve alot of credit also for showing people how wrong it is to discriminate against a minority in this country. There are a few Republicans that support marriage equality, like former First Lady Laura Bush, former VP Dick Cheney, Megan McCain, among others. It will happen, its a matter of time, until then, we have got to fight these state amendments that discriminate against their citizens. Other countries that already have equal marriage like Canada, South Africa, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Spain,Argentina, Portugal, Belgium, The Netherlands and more are soon to follow. Frances new President is for Gay Marriage, even conserative British Prime Minister David Cameron is for Gay Marriage. I hope to see marriage equality in this country in my lifetime as well as a woman President and many gay leaders in congress and the senate.
” Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law. ” Yes! I would take it one step further, as I have before, and say that marriage should not be beholden to anything written in the constitution; it is the right of two human beings to dedicate their lives to one another and expect the country in which they live to recognize said union.
Hi all.
Whitepaw, it’s definitely another great step.
fairminded, a lot of very good points. I’m always glad to see the list of nations which have marriage equality — i think the U.S. will eventually catch up with them, though I also think it’s going to be a while.
fangio, I like that sentence, too — ”Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law.” It’s a point made again and again, that marriage equality is about civil law and rights, and it takes nothing away from the legal recognition of “traditional” marriage.
Well Joyce……….I know it’s late…but…I just want to say the LGBT community(you know I hate labels), are just moving on and on and on!!!!!!!!
What can I say????????
Keep on pushing!
Antonio
I’m not fond of labels, either, knowing very well how they’re used against those to whom they’re applied. But of course there are practical reasons for them, too, and they can and are used with pride.
It’s another step, however we talk about it. And I’ll keep saying this: the steps are happening because the people at the grassroots level do “keep on pushing.”
“Whitepaw”
May I ask a “dumb” question?
What color is your dog…?
And…is He/She a Lab….?
As long as we have political leaders who are praised as Progressives for “personally” favoring gay marriage while remaining willing to leave the actual FATE of gay marriage to the states, we are in for a long, slow slog on this one.
Civil Rights should not be left to the mercy of the Majority, as if they are a referendum on a sales tax or slot machines. Civil Rights are CIVIL RIGHTS, INALIENABLE, possessed by people because they are PEOPLE, not because the Majority finally gave in and decided “ok, you’ve been good, and we’ve evolved, so here you go, shut up now.”
Barack Obama and the other electeds who get plaudits for being Accomodationalists on this issue are part of the problem, not the solution.
“Barack Obama and the other electeds who get plaudits for being Accomodationalists on this issue are part of the problem, not the solution.”
I know, things were SO much better and moving in the right direction under the republican’ts.
Hey sec, there’s no doubt things are better for LGBTs under the Dems. In general though not always, they’re more “pushable.” I do think it’s important to recognize that there are those among the Reps who are supportive of LGBT rights. It’s doubtful, in my opinion, that anyone who fills the WH wannabe role will be one of those supportive types any time soon, but it also becomes more and more clear how out of step the anti-LGBT, including the “hate the sin, love the sinner” spinners, are. Slowly we move ahead. The NAACP statement is a big step.
“I do think it’s important to recognize that there are those among the Reps who are supportive of LGBT rights.”
Who? NO one of national stature andf any of the lower downs who have will be gone next election cycle.
Under a Republican President, Marriage Equality is opposed in spirit by the White House, and the issue is left to the states.
Under Obama, Marriage Equality is supported in spirit by the White House, and the issue is left to the states.
In both cases, the attitude of the White House, and a dollar, will get a homosexual couple which wants to be legally married in North Carolina a cup of coffee at McDonalds.
The “do you want JONES back?” and “oh yeah, well the Republicans suck too!” arguments are really stale, and the last refuge of someone who has nothing intelligent to say. That’s described you for quite some time.
jjamele, I completely agree that “civil rights should not be left to the mercy of the majority. It’s one of the worst things about the “marriage equality” votes so many states take, literally voting on the rights, and worth, of a minority.
And I think if you’ve read much of what I wrte, you also know I emhasize that the real work of gaining equality is done by the grassroots, not by Electeds. My take is that Obama took the step he did, “evolved,” because he was pushed to take it. That includes wanting the funding he has, in fact, received from some LGBTs, including some who are at the “big donor” level.
The NAACP vote is important for, among other reasons, revealing the power of the people who keep on pushing.
” That includes wanting the funding he has, in fact, received from some LGBTs, including some who are at the ” big donor ” level. ” Yes! This is something I have believed from the very start. He has not ” evolved ” but simply capitulated to the ravenous need for endless piles of cash to feed his insatiable campaign.
The events of the last few days have proven that the contention that some of his detractors made that President Obama’s coming out in favor of gays rights was no big deal was really, really wrong. Since O made his statement some very prominent African Americans have also come out in favor of marriage equality including Will Smith, Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), the minister of Obama former church and now the NAACP! No doubt with many more to come in the near future I am sure. Sorry Joe Scarborough but when the President of the United States says something people listen and it makes a difference. The dam has broken thanks to the President, with an assist by the Vice-President!
Exactly how many people got the right to marry as a result of Obama’s “bold” pronouncement? You don’t need to give me an exact number; an estimate would be fine.
I’ll check back later and see if you’ve posted the figures yet