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Gay Pride
Celebration Speeches
"For speaking
today, the Gay lobby has given me a stack of cash this wide..."
Gay
Pride Celebrations 2002
Source URL: http://www.geocities.com/lavalleypride/proclamations/davis/main.html
I am pleased to welcome all who have gathered throughout Californa
for this year's Gay Pride Celebrations. I commend the organizers
of this year's events for their hard work and ongoing support
of California's diverse communities.
The tragedy of September 11 has reminded us of the price of intolerance
and the true blessings of freedom. The victims and heroes of America's
tragedy were brothers and sisters of every race, creed, religion
and sexual orientation. They embodied the American ideals: liberty,
humanity, unity and diversity.
Gay Pride events are a celebration of those American ideals. They
are an inspiring symbol of California's commitment to defend the
cause of freedom and justice. As we vigorously renew our dedication
to a country that is a beacon of tolerance, it is our obligation
to ensure that every citizen enjoys full and equal protection
under the law, regardless of who they are, where they live or
who they love.
Our pledge to respect the basic human dignity of every Californian
would be impossible without the dynamic and determined effort
of our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Through
principled political leadership, and effective grassroots activism,
California has established an enviable human rights record:
We banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in
housing and employment.
We enacted legislation to protect our schoochildren from discrimination
and harassment.
We ended the statewide ban on adoption by unmarried couples.
We appointed more lesbians and gay men than any administration
in California's history.
We enacted the nation's first statewide domestic partners registry
in 1999.
And, in 2001 we were victorious in our battle to expand the rights,
responsibilities and benefits of domestic partners. When I signed
AB25, we created the strongest domestic partnership law in the
nation, second only to Vermont.
This landmark legislation strengthens families, promotes responsibilitiy,
and marks a meaningful advance for the gay and lesbian community
in California. I extend my thanks to all the organizations that
have worked so tirelessly to register thousands of domestic partners
since the law was enacted. We can all take pride in our collective
accomplishments in the fight to defend freedom and create opportunity
for all Californians.
On behalf of the people of the State of California, I extend best
wishes for successful Pride events.
Gay Pride Celebrations 2001
Source URL: http://www.interpride.org/igc01/davisproc.htm
I am pleased to welcome all who have gathered throughout California
and the United States for this year's Gay Pride Celebrations.
Our nation's great strength lies in the diversity of its people,
which the 2001 Pride events honor. As a people, we are inextricably
bound by our commonalities and shared interests, yet it is the
many differences among us that create our uniqueness. I commend
the organizers of this year's Pride events for their tireless
work.
As Governor of California, I fully understand the importance of
public recognition for these events. It is therefore, my pleasure,
if not my solemn duty, to acknowledge the many hundreds of thousands
of people from all walks of life, who join together in this celebration
of community. It is you, and your participation, that help to
ensure a bright and inclusive future for us all.
These events provide us with a unique opportunity to celebrate
the progress we have made towards advancing the rights of the
gay and lesbian community. Finally, we have begun to sow the seeds
of harmony and respect among our people. Each year, we come closer
to reaping a harvest of tolerance and justice.
But we will not be satisfied until hatred no longer plagues our
communities. I have enlisted California in the war against crimes
that are targeted at America's heart and aim to destroy our values
and purpose. Last year, I appointed a blue ribbon Governor's Panel
on Hate Groups and have worked for the passage of strong laws
to protect all Californians from crimes motivated by hate. As
we continue to work for the passage of strong anti-discrimination
and hate crime laws in California, we are sending a clear message
that Californians value everyone in our society, and that we will
vigorously oppose those who use hate and wedge issues to oppose
us.
As Governor, I also want California to lead the war against HIV/AIDS.
I am reminded time and time again that the real faces of AIDS
include our mothers and fathers, our sisters and brothers, our
children, our neighbors, our co-workers, and our friends. If we
are going to bring this epidemic to an end, we must commit our
resources and our hearts to education, prevention and, one day
soon, finding a cure.
In our battle to create a nation where gays and lesbians are assured
their basic equal rights, I believe California stands tall - and
as Governor, I will work to insure that California leads the fight
for full inclusion of gay and lesbian Americans as equal partners
in our society.
On behalf
of the people of the Great State of California, I extend my best
wishes to this year's Pride celebrations, honoring the great diversity
of our nation, and our freedom to pursue happiness and fulfillment.
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