WASHINGTON - February 24 - RESPONSE BY NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MATT FOREMAN:

"Today the President of the United States, solely for political gain, called upon Congress to amend the United States Constitution to enshrine our second-class citizenship in the nation's most revered document. This is a despicable new low.

This is nothing more than a transparent election year ploy to use our lives and families to drive a wedge into the electorate and divert attention away from the critical issues that face our country.

In the face of this, the president's exhortation that this debate be conducted 'without bitterness or anger' is an insult to our families, our dignity and to our contributions as citizens to the life of this nation. We consider today's announcement a declaration of war on gay America.

Marriage equality for same-sex couples harms no one. As the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has said, 'the history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal.' Yet, the President calls for just that: separate and forever unequal rights for gay Americans.

Over the past 200 years our nation has resolved and reached consensus on social justice issues through a process involving its courts, national discourse, and legislation. The freedom to marry for same sex couples should be resolved the same way. Bowing to the religious and political zealots who comprise his base, however, the President now seeks to subvert these democratic processes and shut down the national dialogue about same-sex marriage.

We call upon members of Congress as well as candidates seeking the Democratic party's nomination for president to strongly oppose amending the United States Constitution and to call the President's support for the amendment for what it is: anti-gay, partisan, divisive and distinctly un-American. We call upon all Americans, our families and friends to rally and defeat this attack."

More information on the struggle for equal marriage rights can be found in the Task Force Marriage Information Resource Center at http://www.TheTaskForce.org/marriagecenter.

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