Oakland Mayor Jean Quan made the following joint statement Wednesday with Oakland City Council President Pro Tem Rebecca Kaplan, the city’s first openly-lesbian councilmember, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, where DOMA, the Defense Of Marriage Act, and Prop 8, were rejected. (The joint appearance of Quan and Kaplan may also be a forecast for another join run at the Oakland Mayor’s Office in 2014):
“On this historic day, Oakland stands proudly with so many who have been part of supporting the freedom to marry for all.
Today, we celebrate the progress we’ve made towards a society that values and respects everyone equally.
The Supreme Court’s decisions this morning are a profound victory for same-sex couples – and for humanity.
Oakland has long been a place of diversity and inclusion – we overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 8 – and we’ll forever be proud to have been on the right side of history.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said ‘the arc of history is long but it bends towards justice.’
And so we thank President Obama for his unprecedented support for marriage equality. With momentum on our side, we remain committed to civil rights for all.
Our job is not done – and our work will not stop.
We are so proud of Oakland for being an instrumental part of the progress we’ve made – and will continue to make for years to come.”
Stay tuned.