Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) delivered a stirring speech today at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on proposals to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Lewis is a lion of the civil rights movement; if you don’t know anything about him, it’s worth reading his bio to get a sense of the importance of having him lead off the hearing.
I urge you to go read his speech in full, but here’s an excerpt:
I grew up in southern Alabama, outside of a little city called Troy. Throughout my entire childhood, I saw those signs that said “white restroom,” “colored restroom,” “white water fountain,” “colored water fountain.” I tasted the bitter fruits of racism and discrimination, and I did not like it. And in 1996 when Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, the taste of that old bitter fruit filled my mouth once again.
The Defense of Marriage Act is a stain on our democracy. We must do away with this unjust, discriminatory law once and for all. It reminds me of another dark time in our nation’s history, the many years when states passed laws banning blacks and whites from marrying. We look back at that time now with disbelief, and one day we will look back on this period with that same sense of disbelief. . . .
More than just our constituents, these are our brothers and sisters. We cannot turn our backs on them. We must join hands and work together to create a more perfect union. We are one people, one family, the American family, and we all live together in this one house, the American House.