Same Sex Marriage On May 17th 1954 the United States Supreme Court in Brown ruled that separate does not mean equal. Exactly fifty years to the day, the cause of justice and equal rights for all took another step forward. On May 17th 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to recognize same-sex marriage.

In the words of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis

I am opposed to any amendment that seeks to write discrimination into our Constitution.

The Constitution is not the proper place to address the right to marry for same sex couples. It is better left to the states. On the eve of the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, I ask that supporters of this amendment remember that our history has provided many examples of judges and courts moving this nation toward social justice, often before legislatures were ready to embrace such progressive social change.

I Ask The Question--Where would we be as a nation if Congress in 1954 radically amended our constitution to uphold segregation or the separate but equal doctrine? I Further Ask-- Where would we be as a nation if Congress in 1967 had made it unconstitutional for interracial couples to marry?

Mr. Chairman, I ask you and Members of this Committee to think long and hard before altering America's most important document for the sole purpose of restricting the civil rights some of our citizens. I have fought too hard and too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination based on same sex marriages.

Some say let's choose another route and give the gay and lesbian community certain legal rights but call it something other than marriage. We have been down this road before in this country. Separate is not equal. The right to liberty and happiness belong to each of us and on the same terms, without regard to either skin color or sexual orientation. But our rights as Americans do not depend on the approval of others or the passion of the times. Our rights depend on us being Americans.

Rather than divide and discriminate, let us come together and create one nation. We are all one people. We all live in the same house, the American house. Let us as a nation and as a people recognize that gay people live in our American house. We need to realize that gay people living in this house share the same hopes, troubles, and dreams. Now is the time for us to finally treat them as equals, as family. We must build the Beloved Community, an all-inclusive community---a community at peace with itself.

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