ProgressiveCongress.org just sent the following press release out and we wanted to share it here.
We know we haven't blogged here much- we've been busy behind the scenes but now it's time for us to tell you more about us, so keep an eye out for more diaries and social media from us in the coming weeks.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raul M. Grijalva and Rep. Keith Ellison, in collaboration with Progressive Congress, have joined Freedom to Marry’s Democrats: Say I Do campaign to affirm the freedom to marry in the Democratic Party and include a plank in the Party Platform.
“This isn’t just a question of politics – it’s truly one of the defining civil rights issues of our time,” Rep. Grijalva said. “We have the chance to build a country that lives up to its founding ideals and takes words like ‘freedom’ and ‘equality’ at face value, without caveats. We have the chance to break down some of the oldest barriers and prejudices in human history. It’s time for Democrats to take advantage of that chance.”
The Co-Chairs join Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and over 10,000 other Americans who have signed the pledge urging the Democratic Party to be fully inclusive of marriage equality in the platform that will be ratified at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.
“In Minnesota, we are on the front lines to be the first state ever to defeat an anti-family amendment that will appear on the ballot,” said Rep. Keith Ellison. “We will be successful in that fight because Minnesotans know that the definition of marriage is love and commitment. Democrats know this too, and our platform should reflect our values.”
“The Democratic party leaders in the Progressive Caucus know that ensuring that all loving couples can share in the freedom to marry is not only the right thing to do as progressives, but the right thing for the party to do politically. Putting the party on record in its platform is true to the highest values not just of Democrats, but of Americans, as the growing national majority for marriage, and the overwhelming majority among younger voters and Independents, show,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide. “Freedom to Marry is proud to have more and more people joining onto our Democrats: Say I Do petition to the Platform Committee.”
National polls have repeatedly shown support for full marriage equality across the country and more than 35 million Americans live in jurisdictions where marriage equality is fully legal.
Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
Progressive Congress was built at the intersection between the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and the progressive movement to connect the progressive movement, ideas, and Congress. Founded by the leadership and staff of the CPC and key leaders in the progressive movement, the board includes a broad cross-section of the progressive community in the United States and the leadership of the CPC.