Obama Marriage Equality Reaction

(May 9, 2012) Statement from TJ Williams and Brad Williams Hauger : Responding to President Obama's support of Marriage Equality We would like to say thank you to President Obama for making history by becoming the first sitting American President to come out in support of the freedom to marry for same sex couples. We are mindful of the political sacrifice that you are taking, but rejoice in the fact that our families have gained a new friend and ally. Today is a new day in America after we witnessed a dark day in American history as another state amended its constitution by adding bigotry to it. For we know that this is nothing new to the state of North Carolina for they have done it to African Americans before, although we know the reality of the constitutional decision. We also know that when the sun came up today that it brought with it new hope, a promise and an opportunity, that demands that we be vigilant as we face yet another election season. The right will surely try to use the President's stand against him and they will try to use us and our communities to block his second term. So Brad and I ask the LGBT community and people across every sector of American society to unite with leaders and every American from the LGBT community, Latino community, African American community and communities that have been impacted by job loss. All of us must come together because our President, our parents, our children deserve nothing less. We must find this kind of unity in every facet of every faith community because real faith and real justice demands nothing less of us but to stand on the right side of history together as one nation. As President Obama once said, “There is no Gay America, there is no White America, Black America or Latino America, but there is a United States of America that stands on the hope of freedom and justice for all.” TJ Williams and Brad Williams Hauger members of the Riverside Church and the First gay couple to be legally married at the Riverside Church NYC.