Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Julian Bond on Gay Rights

We often hear how difficult the relationship is between GLBT folk and African-Americans. Here is a post, though, including a video, of a speech that Julian Bond, a civil rights leader and Chairman of the NAACP, has to say on the topic. The following quote is terrific:

"When someone asks me, “are gay rights civil rights?” my answer is always, “Of course, they are.” Civil rights are positive legal prerogatives: the right to equal treatment before the law. These are the rights shared by everyone. There is no one in the United States who does not, or should not, enjoy or share in enjoying these rights. Gay and lesbian rights are not special rights in any way. It isn’t “special” to be free from discrimination. It is an ordinary, universal entitlement of citizenship."

One post that I saw on this mentioned that my hero and my Congressman, John Lewis, also gets it.

I've just listened to the whole speech, and it is well worth listening to the whole thing. It is about 25 minutes long.

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