5/3/10
Illinois State Lawmaker Makes a Personal Case for Gay Marriage

Last week, Illinois lawmaker Deborah Mell spoke on the state House floor to announce her “bittersweet” engagement to her girlfriend of six years — “bittersweet” because she’ll have to go next door to Iowa to tie the knot instead of doing it in the state where she grew up, where she now represents 100,000 people and where gay marriage and even civil unions are illegal. It’s a great short speech — check out the slightly longer video of the speech (though lower quality) which has her making the announcement to cheers of congratulations.

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2 Comments

  1. I say lets make it legal in the US, so they can be as miserable as the rest of us!

  2. “You Don’t Even Know my Name”

    You don’t even know my name.
    Your visions of religion daunt and taunt me with shame.
    You fear me in your schools as student or teacher,
    Yet you don’t even know my name.
    You say I cannot marry my lover,
    Who are you to make life decisions for she/he and I?
    How dare you requite with your hatred and busy mind games,
    You don’t even know my name.
    Your fear is not my fear that is your blame.
    You mock me like a jockey in some sort of race,
    Where only the right breed takes first place.
    I have kept this secret in some hidden way,
    No longer will I allow you the key to my drawer.
    Get out of the way for there is healing to be done,
    I don’t have time for your brain to catch up to this enlightened mind frame.
    I do not hate you, nor fear your regulated rules of what I can do
    Because in the end, this is not a game for you or I to play like tabletop pool.
    There are no dice to roll, no favorite picks, win or lose,
    This is cooperative play we wish to approve.
    I have a plan and it will be bold,
    But there are millions of others whose stories are here to be told.
    So hold back your voice just a little bit more before you spout,
    And clench your tightened fist.
    It is the voice of a name I’m sure you have heard,
    His name is Harvey Milk, who tugged at your heartstrings,
    And may have knocked at your door.
    You don’t even know my name, but you can be sure, that oh one day
    I believe your heart will open the door, at least that is my plan.
    Where hatred and fear are no more.
    But rather a life worth living,
    Where hope is an open door.

    “I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you… And you… And you… Gotta give em hope.” Harvey Milk

    Kathy
    2010

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