Civil Rights… beyond race

The following is a letter to the editor written by 16 year old Tully Satre, Executive Director of Equality Faquier/Culpeper (www.efcva.org). I think his words are important and I congratulate him on his activism:

Civil rights go beyond race
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Culpeper Citizen

Nearly 38 years ago, one of history’s most well-known civil rights activists was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. Every January, we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was born on Jan. 15, 1929.

As Dr. King once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Today, the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are being threatened in Virginia.

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006 - the first day of the Virginia General Assembly session - the House’s Privileges and Elections Committee passed the Virginia Marriage Amendment. Two days later, the amendment was taken to the House floor and passed 73-22.

The vote moves the legislation one step closer to amending the Virginia Constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman, one step closer to writing discrimination into the constitution of one of the nation’s founding states, and one step closer to the injustice that Dr. King actively opposed throughout his life.

The fate of Virginians now lies with the Virginia Senate. Perhaps we can make this year’s MLK Day, a day not only to remember the life of an American hero, but also a day to follow Dr. King’s example of standing up for human dignity.

Tully Satre
Executive Director
Equality Fauquier/Culpeper

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