Emanuel, U.S. mayors call on courts to support marriage equality
Mon. June 23, 2014 3:07 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
chicago mayor rahm emanuel, 2013 chicago pride parade
photo credit // chicagopride.com
Dallas, Texas -
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined mayors from across the United States in passing a resolution at their annual meeting in Dallas on Monday that calls on federal courts, including the Supreme Court, to rule against state bans excluding gay and lesbian couples from marriage.
"The United States Conference of Mayors reaffirms its support of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples and urges the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to speedily bring national resolution by ruling in favor of the freedom to marry nationwide," the resolution reads in part.
Phoenix, Ariz., Mayor Greg Stanton, a co-chair of Freedom to Marry's Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition, led the effort to submit the resolution. Other co-sponsors included Emanuel, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, among several others.
"From small towns to big cities, America's mayors know that including gay couples in the freedom to marry does nothing but strengthen families and communities for all," Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, said in a press release. "The U.S. Conference of Mayors has made it clear that it's time for the federal appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court to follow the lead of numerous states and a wave of over 20 federal and state courts and bring an end to marriage discrimination nationwide. A year after the Supreme Court demolished the arguments propping up marriage discrimination, it's time for the Court to finish the job and rule in favor of the freedom to marry once and for all."
Emanuel was the only Illinois mayor to co-sponsor the resolution, though other regional mayors have signed on to Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, including Bensenville Mayor Frank Soto, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, Carbon Cliff Mayor Kenneth Williams, Champaign Mayor Donald Gerard, Dekalb Mayor John Rey, Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, Elmwood Park Mayor Angelo "Skip" Saviano, Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld, Longview Mayor Amanda Mank, McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski, Normal Mayor Chris Koos, North Aurora Mayor Dale Berman, Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Tale, Park Forest Mayor John Ostenburg, Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing, Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, Wheeling Mayor Dean Argiris, Yorkville Mayor Gary Golinski.
Same-sex couples can marry in 19 states, including Illinois, and the District of Columbia.
"The United States Conference of Mayors reaffirms its support of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples and urges the federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to speedily bring national resolution by ruling in favor of the freedom to marry nationwide," the resolution reads in part.
Phoenix, Ariz., Mayor Greg Stanton, a co-chair of Freedom to Marry's Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition, led the effort to submit the resolution. Other co-sponsors included Emanuel, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, among several others.
"From small towns to big cities, America's mayors know that including gay couples in the freedom to marry does nothing but strengthen families and communities for all," Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, said in a press release. "The U.S. Conference of Mayors has made it clear that it's time for the federal appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court to follow the lead of numerous states and a wave of over 20 federal and state courts and bring an end to marriage discrimination nationwide. A year after the Supreme Court demolished the arguments propping up marriage discrimination, it's time for the Court to finish the job and rule in favor of the freedom to marry once and for all."
Emanuel was the only Illinois mayor to co-sponsor the resolution, though other regional mayors have signed on to Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, including Bensenville Mayor Frank Soto, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, Carbon Cliff Mayor Kenneth Williams, Champaign Mayor Donald Gerard, Dekalb Mayor John Rey, Elgin Mayor David Kaptain, Elmwood Park Mayor Angelo "Skip" Saviano, Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld, Longview Mayor Amanda Mank, McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski, Normal Mayor Chris Koos, North Aurora Mayor Dale Berman, Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Tale, Park Forest Mayor John Ostenburg, Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing, Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager, Wheeling Mayor Dean Argiris, Yorkville Mayor Gary Golinski.
Same-sex couples can marry in 19 states, including Illinois, and the District of Columbia.