Sacramento Mayor Joins Freedom to Marry Campaign

Sacramento mayor and former NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson has signed on to Mayors for the Freedom to Marry after an intense grassroots campaign for his support.

Johnson, once a star with the Phoenix Suns, met with local LGBT leaders about the matter late last week, and Sacramento resident Neil Pople had started a Change.org petition calling on the mayor to join the bipartisan coalition, a project of the group Freedom to Marry. The petition has attracted hundreds of signatures.

"We thank Mayor Johnson for his support of the freedom to marry and look forward to working with him to bring an end to marriage discrimination in California and nationwide," writes Cameron Tolle on Freedom to Marry's blog. About two dozen California mayors have signed on to the initiative, and the nationwide total is 175, up from 80 just a few weeks ago, he notes.

Johnson's decision demonstrates the importance of grassroots organizing, Tolle adds. Columbus, Ohio, mayor Mike Coleman joined the campaign two weeks ago after receiving over 1,000 signatures from a Change.org petition. There are now petitions seeking support from the mayors of Dallas; Las Vegas; Little Rock, Ark.; Orlando, Fla.; and Hanford, Calif. For the list of mayors who have already joined, and to sign or create a petition, click here.