Sen. Barack Obama
released the following statement regarding the 2008
Pride season on Saturday:
"I am
proud to join with our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgendered brothers and sisters in celebrating the
accomplishments, the lives, and the families of all
LGBT people during this Pride season. Too often, the
issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide
us. But at its core this issue is about who we are as
Americans.
"It's time to live up to our founding promise
of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity
and respect. Let's enact federal civil rights
legislation to outlaw hate crimes and protect workers
against discrimination based upon sexual orientation
and gender identity or expression. Let's repeal
'don't ask, don't tell' and demonstrate that the most
effective and professional military in the world is open to
all Americans who are ready and willing to serve our
country. Let's treat the relationships and the
families of LGBT Americans with full equality under
the law.
"We are
ready to accomplish these goals because of the courage and
persistence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered
people who are working every day to achieve equal
rights -- the gay couple who demands equal treatment
in our family laws as they raise their children, the
lesbian soldier who wants nothing more than to serve her
country openly and honestly, the transgendered workers
who ask for the simple dignity of being judged by the
quality of their work. Generations of LGBT Americans,
at once ordinary and extraordinary, have made possible this
moment in our history. With leadership and hard work
we can fulfill the promise of equality for
all."
Obama's
website has a section directed toward his LGBT constituency
(https://pride.barackobama.com/). The site
features the senator's views on LGBT issues and
allows visitors to search for pride events in their
area. On Saturday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton endorsed
Obama and pledged her full support in helping him win the
presidency. (The Advocate)