Last edited: July 24, 2003

 

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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