Important Civil Rights Victories Celebrated Today

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:05 am

Today marks a very important milestone in civil rights within the United
States.

First, today is the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. the Board of
Education of Topeka decision, in which the U.S. Supreme Court ended
federally sanctioned racial segregation in the public schools by ruling
unanimously that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."

Secondly, today marks the first completely legal same-sex marriages within
the US. Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to permit gays
and lesbians to wed just after midnight last night, when Cambridge City
Hall welcomed more than 250 same-sex couples who hugged, cried, cheered,
and applied for the marriage licenses many thought they would never see in
their lifetimes. You can read more here:
http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/

Today is a very, very special day for civil rights the world over and is a
strong affirmation of the equality of humans everywhere.

Please join with me in celebrating this victory.

In peace,

Chris

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:26 am

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:28 am

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:47 am

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:54 am

TomB wrote:"When life hands you lemons, ask for a bottle of tequila and the salt"

[with Cheech Marin accent]Hey, man, where did you put that bottle of tequila, man?[/Cheech Marin accent]

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:56 am

To true freedom! May we *all* someday see its value and know its feel.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Mon May 17, 2004 4:38 pm

anniemcu wrote:To true freedom! May we *all* someday see its value and know its feel.

Hear, hear!

carrie · Post by **carrie** » Mon May 17, 2004 5:03 pm

andreaz54 · Post by **andreaz54** » Tue May 18, 2004 6:44 am

It is a wonderful day indeed!!! I was very excited when I heard on our local news last night that it has been suggested that NY recognize as legal the Gay Marriages performed in MA. That would be wonderful!!

And the fact that this also marked the end of segragation ...well, it goes without saying!! As my son Andy says.."Seperate but egual will never be equal."

Hurrah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hiro Ringo · Post by **Hiro Ringo** » Tue May 18, 2004 7:17 am

A radio in Japan talked about people forming a long line in Massachusetts.

Yeah,Massachusetts' Freedom would be my favorite!

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Tue May 18, 2004 7:21 am

Totally

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue May 18, 2004 12:55 pm

Excuse me! The United States did it for the world????

Let's see, Slavery in North America was abolished in Canada before England did it and long before the Untied States.

We have had same sex marriages for about a year now, Holland has had for several years. France has a civil agreement were as gays and lesbians can formally sign contracts to such, that ever the hetro's are finding it better than marriage.

It might be an important date in the United States but I don't see how you can make the jump to include the world.

MarkB

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Tue May 18, 2004 1:14 pm

Ummm....
Mark, read my post more carefully.
I wrote:

Today is a very, very special day for civil rights the world over and is a
strong affirmation of the equality of humans everywhere.

I never wrote that the USA did it for the world, far from it. You are absolutely right that there are other countries, including our wonderful neighbor Canada, who beat us to it. However, this is not a contest to see who can do it first and the fact that Canada made gay marriage legal first does not make gay marriage in the USA any less of a victory for civil rights. It's a victory for everyone who supports civil rights to celebrate - there's no point in US citizens saying to the UK - "Hey, look, we did it before you!", nor is there any point in Canadian citizens saying to the US "Hey, look, we did it before you, so don't get so excited." Instead we should all be celebrating together because at last we did it! A civil rights victory in one country is a victory for the world.

Best
Chris

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue May 18, 2004 2:10 pm

MarkB wrote:Excuse me! The United States did it for the world????

Let's see, Slavery in North America was abolished in Canada before England did it and long before the Untied States...
...It might be an important date in the United States but I don't see how you can make the jump to include the world.

MarkB

I hate it when the web eats my carefully crafted post and I am beset by the airpockets in my brain and cannot bring it to the fore again... ARRGHHHHH

OK, what I actually posted earlier, though you'd never have known, was akin to this:

Look at it as the fact that 'the US is finally actually getting it on this issue' as a good thing for the world.

Certainly there are those US citizens who assume that their country is the leader in all things good (may they gain enlightenment), but that didn't strike me as what the poster was saying, only that this step here is a good step in and for the world. Not our leadership, regretably, but our coming to some semblance of another step toward reason.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Tue May 18, 2004 2:14 pm

I agree entirely with Chris. As a citizen of the US, I'll freely admit that our over-long allowing of slavery compared to other nations was a stain on our national honor. Even more so was the nine decades of institutionalized racism that followed official emancipation. What yesterday celebrated was the first time a Supreme Court officially damned the institution of educational segregation - and the beginning, not the end, of the final push towards equality - one that isn't completely achieved even fifty years later.

FWIW, I personally think that as long a slavery exists anywhere in the world - and it does - then NONE of the Western nations should feel too great a pride in their own abandonment of the practice. Western Europe and Canada are no more pristine than the US in this area - all of us (as nations, not necessarly as individuals) have chosen to ignore the practice which in the end benefits us economically.

On the issue of same-sex marriage (in the US), yesterday was historic in that it was the first time that the rite has been LEGAL anywhere in the US. While a few cities and/or counties have been issuing licenses, in all cases until yesterday, they did so in violation of the laws of the State of which they were a part. Sure, other civilized countries got there first - and some never will. But its historic here, not only because it happened but because it happened in the face of vicious opposition by religious conservatives and their Washington lap dogs.

No one's claiming we're perfect, but when we do get one right, what's the harm in celebrating it?