Equality Mississippi Takes Issue with Mississippi Lieutenant Gubernatorial
Candidate’s Remarks
Equality Mississippi,
July 13, 2003
Contact: Jody Renaldo; Executive director
601-936-7673
jody@equalityms.org
JACKSON, MS—In the July 13, 2003 edition of The
Clarion-Ledger newspaper, Mississippi Democrat lieutenant gubernatorial
candidate Troy Brown commented on the landmark ruling in June by the United
States Supreme Court that struck down sodomy—oral or anal sex—laws in 13
states, including Mississippi.
According to The Clarion-Ledger, Brown issued a challenge to every
candidate running for political office to join him in his support for the U.S.
Senate proposal of a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a legally
binding relationship between a man and a woman.
He said he lives in a society where the traditional family is an exception
rather than the rule.
First, it must be noted that the Supreme Court’s sodomy law ruling was
not a “gay and lesbian” alone issue. Most sodomy laws, including
Mississippi’s, applied to both gay and straight people.
Indeed, straight people benefited just as much as gay people from the hard
work of those who worked diligently to see this case through.
Unfortunately, an overwhelming majority of sodomy charges were against gay
people.
Unfortunately, most discrimination via sodomy laws were directed at gay
people.
Secondly, the Democrat party has a standing policy of inclusion and equal
rights for gay and lesbian Americans as part of its platform.
It’s rather unfortunate that Democrat candidates such as Troy Brown
can’t seem to act like real Democrats.
However, the voters will let Brown know quite efficiently that in 2003,
Republicrats are not welcome in Mississippi.
A constitutional ban on allowing gay people to marry is morally and
ethically wrong regardless of which Bible and which religion you’re in tune
with.
The United States of America has the defining character of being a place of
freedom and justice, a place where everyone is supposed, or alleged, to be
treated equal. A United States Constitutional ban on anything, much less gay
marriage, would be the first time in its history that the Constitution is used
to deny rights to a class of people rather than giving rights or protecting
rights.
Troy Brown will be an unwelcome addition to the government of the Great
State of Mississippi and Equality Mississippi strongly opposes his candidacy
for lieutenant governor.
- Equality Mississippi is Mississippi’s statewide gay and lesbian civil
rights organization. They can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.equalityms.org.
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