As California's
LGBT community reacts to today's news that the No on 8
campaign has decided to concede to being defeated at the
polls, Melissa Etheridge and Ellen DeGeneres have each
issued statements in response to Prop. 8 passing.
Melissa Etheridge: "Today the gay citizenry of
this state will pick themselves up and dust themselves off
and do what we have been doing for years. We will get back
into it. We love this state, we love this country and
we are not going to leave it. Even though we could be
married in Massachusetts or Connecticut, Canada,
Holland, Spain, and a handful of other countries, this is
our home. This is where we work and play and raise our
families. We will not rest until we have the full
rights of any other citizen. It is that simple, no
fearful vote will ever stop us... that is not the American
way."
Ellen DeGeneres: "Watching the returns on
election night was an amazing experience. Barack Obama is
our new president. Change is here. I, like millions of
Americans, felt like we had taken a giant step towards
equality. We were watching history.
"This morning,
when it was clear that Proposition 8 had passed in
California, I can't explain the feeling I had. I was
saddened beyond belief. Here we just had a giant step
towards equality and then on the very next day, we
took a giant step away. I believe one day a "ban on
gay marriage" will sound totally ridiculous. In
the meantime, I will continue to speak out for
equality for all of us."
