"We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall." Thus spoke Michelle Obama as she worked hard to earn support and assure her GLBT allies that that support would be returned. It's true that these are only words, but they're powerful words, risking flak from those among the black community who decry the notion that there is a single thing in common between the struggle for civil rights for African Americans and that for GLBT Americans. I think it was worth nothing. As is this sentence that Mrs. Obama used, something the AP failed to adequately note: "states should decide for themselves how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. "
I stayed on the sidelines in the presidential primary for a while... I supported neither Hillary, nor Obama... nor Edwards, for that matter... till the day of the last primary. But it's something a former acquaintance of mine said to me the day Hillary endorsed Obama that made me an official supporter of Obama. And it's what Michelle said that paved the way for me to march as part of the Obama Pride contingent in yesterday's Gay Pride Parade.
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