"I think that for too long, we have accepted this failed strategy of allowing our rights to be debated state by state, county by county, city by city. We've settled for compromises for far too long. We've settled for fractions of equality. And I think that that is going to end. And that we're now going to insist on full equality, equal protection under the law in all areas governed by civil law in all 50 states. And I hope people see this film ( Milk ) and are inspired by what we did in San Francisco in 1978 ( in defeating the Briggs Initiative, Prop 6 ) . But for strategy, I think people need to look back to 1964 when it became clear to the great leaders of the civil rights movement that many of the Southern states and many others probably would never willingly extend equal protection under the law to the African-Americans. It was then that President Johnson and the Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, extending equal protection under the law in all areas of the country. That's what we need today. That's what we're calling upon the leaders of Congress and Barack Obama to do." — Gay activist Cleve Jones ( pictured ) , a cohort of Harvey Milk, on The Rachel Maddow Show Feb. 23, after "Milk" won two Academy Awards.
"When you think really how long the gay-rights movement has been around, it's not that long. It's tremendous progress. When my career began, no one would even insinuate anyone was gay. People wouldn't even bring it up. It was never mentioned. It was almost a taboo subject. When I was ( first ) on TV, it was before Will & Grace, it was before Ellen came out. And not one person ever asked me. Times have changed just in my lifetime. To walk down the street in Manhattan and see 20-year-old guys holding hands or young, cute lesbians. ... I think 'Wow.' There has been tremendous progress made. Just in my lifetime." — Rosie O'Donnell to The Associated Press, Feb. 25.
"This ( anti-gay hate crimes ) is one of the reasons we have a federal hate crimes law, for that very reason. You know, sometimes in some conservative areas they don't prosecute hate crimes, so we have on the books a law that allows the federal government to prosecute those if your local DA refuses to, effectively. So you might want to report it to your federal attorney general for your area if you feel threatened and the local authorities are not investigating or don't seem to care. You can turn to the federal government for investigation of potential hate crimes. ... ( T ) here is a federal recourse for that. That's the very reason we did it. [ He is then informed by Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus President Daniel Graney that gays are not included in federal hate-crime law. ] Oh, it didn't pass? OK. So we still need to pass it? OK. So we'll try to pass that one for you, too. But that's why we need it. And of course Obama supports that, our Congress supports that, our Senate supports that. I thought we did pass it, so we will try to get that. But that's exactly why we need it though, because in some of the areas where gays and lesbians do feel terrorized every day, the local authorities are in league with the forces of hate. And this would, when we pass it—thanks for pointing that out—give you recourse to go to the federal government to investigate hate crimes in your area." — Openly gay freshman U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., addressing the First Biennial Statewide Conference of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus on March 1 in Austin. A recording of the address was provided by the Dallas Voice. Audio: tinyurl.com/dee5t7
"We should absolutely be holding our elected officials, including President Obama, to their commitments to support those three pieces of legislation." — Gay U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., to the gay newspaper Dallas Voice, in regard to passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the addition of domestic partner benefits for federal employees, Feb. 20.
"The NAACP's mission is to help create a society where all Americans have equal protection and opportunity under the law. Our Mission Statement calls for the 'equality of rights of all persons.' Prop. 8 strips same-sex couples of a fundamental freedom, as defined by the California State Supreme Court. In so doing, it poses a serious threat to all Americans. Prop. 8 is a discriminatory, unprecedented change to the California Constitution that, if allowed to stand, would undermine the very purpose of a constitution and courts—assuring equal protection and opportunity for all and safeguarding minorities from the tyranny of the majority." — National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Todd Jealous in a Feb. 23 statement.
"I felt very violated ( when I was outed in a 1981 palimony suit ) . I felt blackmailed. And yet I want to tell the truth. I argued with my publicist and my lawyer for two days so I could do that press conference. They didn't want me to do it, but I was insistent. I did the right thing. It's better to tell the truth. Within 24 hours I lost all my future income. I was just getting ready to leave the game. And I had all these wonderful contracts happening." — Tennis legend Billie Jean King to Tennis.com, Feb. 16.
"I think it's ( the economic meltdown ) the best thing that's happened to this country. People have to stop looking to material things to find happiness." — Lesbian comedian Sandra Bernhard to the gay newspaper Dallas Voice, Feb. 20.
" [ T ] he Republicans have dissolved into a querulous lot of nags and naysayers without a voice, a direction or a clue. ... And who has surfaced as their saviors? Bobby Jindal, Michael Steele and Rush Limbaugh—the axis of drivel." — New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow, March 7.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
