BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.The great mayor of Tallahassee stands for marriage equality. Today, History is made

[Cha]

Equality Florida with Andrew Gillum and R. Jai Gillum, Jackson and Caroline

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum has a special message for all loving couples living in counties that have ended courthouse marriage ceremonies:

"At midnight tonight, most of the state of Florida will take a collective step towards complete equality by affording people the right to marry whomever they choose. I am disheartened, however, by the decision of several counties around Florida to discontinue the opportunity for people to have courthouse marriage ceremonies. In light of these unfortunate announcements, I would like to extend an invitation to the loving couples of Duval, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Baker, Clay, Pasco, Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Franklin, and Wakulla Counties to hold their marriage ceremonies here in the Capital City. I hope that this issue reminds us that love is never wrong, and that equality must continue to be a part of the progress we work to drive in our community, our state, and in our country. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘The time is always right to do what is right.'"

https://www.facebook.com/equalityfl

to the Democratic Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida inviting the "loving couples" to his city to be married! "Love Is Never Wrong"

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Mildred Loving....

Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don't think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the "wrong kind of person" for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.

I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about.


Thank you Tallahassee Mayor, Andrew Gillum!

[Cha]

2. Beautiful, BtA.. this so belongs here.. Mahalo~ thank you!

"I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about."

[Behind the Aegis]

5. It really is one of my favorite quotes.

It demonstrates a need for minorities to "look out" for each other, as well as our allies. United we stand, divided we fall.

[Cha]

7. It's brilliant.

[sheshe2]

61. Yes! BtA

United we stand. All else fails.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Mayor Gillum seems to know a lot about human rights

Gee, I wonder why?

What a great message!

[Cha]

4. I know, huh! He's one who has personal knowledge and wants GLBT RIghts to benefit, too!

A superb message of love! Mahalo pinboy~

[Cha]

6. KICK

[Heidi]

8. Kick, kick, kick!!!

And good morning, Cha!

[Behind the Aegis]

9. HI!!!

and another

[Heidi]

73. !!!

Happy New Year, friend!

[Cha]

10. Thank you, Heidi!

Good Mornin'

[lovemydog]

11. A great statement from a great man.

Mahalo Cha!

[Cha]

12. It's a heartwarming statement from Mayor Gillum in Tallahassee.. I had no idea about this Mayor

until I saw this story tonight!

lovemydog~

[lovemydog]

13. We have all come a long way.

I will never quit fighting for justice and for reduction of income inequality. I admit that I evolved on this issue, big time. Thanks to all the activists.

I'm so delighted that those who love each other can get married in Florida.

We've had so many victories in the past six years Cha. I'm glad that you & many others here at DU help celebrate them.

We'll never quit fighting for expansion of rights. That's what we do.

It's also nice to stop and smell the roses. We reached critical mass on gay marriage, and now the dam has broke. Next step: reducing inequality. And a whole lot of other things too!

[Cha]

15. Here's to Equality for All, lovemydog!

I'm am so grateful for Mayor Gillum's statement that Welcomes those who are not allowed to marry in their own counties will be more than Welcome in the Capital City!

Stop and smelling the Roses..

[lovemydog]

18. I can smell the roses from here Cha.

Muchas gracias mi amiga.

[freshwest]

47. Lovely pic and thanks for the good news! K&R right here!

[Cha]

49. Thank you, frestwest for responding!

I knew you'd like it. It's an amazing statement of Love for ALL from the Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida!

[pinboy3niner]

16. I thank God for PTSD

In a way, at least. One tendency identified by mental health professionals in trauma survivors is an intolerance for injustice. Drives us up the fucking wall!

Even in the sufferings there is something positive.

And as I heard one psychologist say at a trauma conference, "You have to be a pretty good person to be affected by PTSD."

[lovemydog]

19. That is really interesting pinboy3niner.

I've always been the same way as you my friend.

[pinboy3niner]

22. Obviously, no one has to be a trauma survivor to object to injustice

But as I told a college auditorium full of young, eager students: "You didn't have to go to Vietnam to find your compassion. But it sure could add a lot of depth."

[lovemydog]

25. Yes. I bet those students really enjoyed your talk.

[pinboy3niner]

29. The Q and A was interesting

The toughest question was about the bonding experience of vets, and isn't that a good reason for war?

I think I flubbed my answer then, but after that I'd point out the bonding experience of people who went through things like natural disasters. We don't need war to bond us. We shouldn't even need other disasters. It's hard to see, but we are bonded together without any of those things.

[lovemydog]

31. Isn't that the truth.

We're bonded as brothers & sisters on this whacky planet. I'm glad you speak about it with others pinboy3niner. That's the kind of talks I enjoy. From the heart.

Like this subject, gay marriage. It feels good seeing rights and privileges extended to others. Freedoms that we sometimes take for granted. We've come a long way and still have a long way to go. Expansion of gay rights in our country, we saw this in our lifetimes. That's amazing. It makes us all feel less disconnected, more human.

[pinboy3niner]

14. I'm in CA and never heard of him

But I couldn't help but be impressed by his beautiful statement. And what a great pic of his family!

[Cha]

17. Same here, pinboy.. I wasn't going to be posting anything on DU this late but I saw this on

FB and I had to do it. You understand. I'm like "wait, what!?"

[lovemydog]

21. Haha, I did that too.

I was heading to sleep then I saw this post. I was like 'Wait, what?' I've gotta respond! So many good peeps out there. And so many beautiful roses to smell.

[Cha]

23. Thank you so much for catching it! Great thought.. thanking the citizens of Tallahassee for Voting

Andrew Gillum in as Mayor of their fine city!

[pinboy3niner]

24. Thanks for catching it, Cha

You done good. Mahalo!

[Cha]

26. My pleasure.. thank you!

[lovemydog]

20. I'm in NM and I hadn't heard of him either.

Wonderful family.

Thank you citizens of Tallahassee who voted for this warm & loving man.

[Cha]

27. K then Mayor Gillum!

[Lochloosa]

28. My Home Town! Thank You Mayor!

I really miss Tallahassee.

[Cha]

30. To your Home Town Mayor, Lochloosa!

[lovemydog]

32. Hooray for Tallahassee!

Woo hoo!

[brer cat]

33. Mayor Gillum is a good man.

He could have easily said "not my problem," but he chose the right time to do what is right.

Thanks for posting, Cha. I think most of us would have missed this if you hadn't!

[Cha]

34. Mahalo brer cat! I think most of DU is missing this.. But, not to be missed!

[Cha]

35. K

[LeftOfWest]

36. Highly Recommended

Really needed to read something like this today.
Love Mayor Gillum, class act who gets it, equal rights under the law.


Thank you very much Cha!

‘The time is always right to do what is right.'

This.

[Cha]

37. I know what you mean, LeftOfWest.. Shows what Humanity can be.. at its very best.

Thank you~

[Cha]

38. Kick for some wonderfulness.

[calimary]

39. NICE! Sure love that family photo!

Hope we see more leaders like His Honor all over this country.

[Cha]

41. Sweet family glowing from the inside out, calimary! thank you!

[spanone]

40. k&r...

Mahalo Cha!!

[Cha]

42. Aloha and Mahalo to you, spanone!

[Cha]

43. K

[Cha]

44. K

[Spazito]

45. Beautiful OP, beautiful family, wonderful response from the Mayor!

Thanks, Cha, for posting this, it really is beautiful in so many ways.

[Cha]

46. I know, Spazito.. on so many levels~

Thank you for your response!

[Spazito]

48. Reading your OP lightened my heart and helped bring me back to balance...

for every ugly action, statement, etc. there are so many more wonderful, caring ones and your OP helped me remember that.

Thank you.

[Cha]

50. Awesome.. I know what you mean and you say it so well.

Mahalo

[shenmue]

51. Awesome!

Yay!

[Cha]

52. Most Awesome, shenmue!

Thank you!

[Cha]

53. Kick for LOVE!

[mcar]

54. I am rarely proud of my state

But I am reading this. Congratulations to all our FL happy couples.

[Cha]

55. I am so proud of your state that elected Andrew Gillum as Mayor, mcar!

The Capital City, Tallahassee! Thank you!

[mcar]

57. It does give one hope

[Cha]

58. It's Keeping HOPE ALIVE!

[Cha]

56. Thanks for the RECing the Humanity guys.. now I'll just kick for Humankindness.

[Cha]

59. KICK!!!!!!!!

[csziggy]

60. Andrew Gillum is a really good person - I am not surprised to see this from him

I've met him only long enough to shake his hand, but I've read about his career in Tallahassee politics for years.

I hope he decides to move his political ambitions higher. We need men like him in the Florida legislature, working their way to even higher offices!

Thank you, Andrew Gillum, for demonstrating what a great place Tallahassee and Leon County can be by being inclusive and choosing the path of love over the pit of hate.

ETA: For those who would like to know more about Andrew Gillum, here is his bio page at the Talgov site:
http://www.talgov.com/commission/commission-officials-gillum.aspx

He was 23 when he was first elected to office in 2003. This is his third time around as mayor, having been elected mayor pro tem in 2004, again in 2008, and yet again in 2012!

This is a man worth keeping an eye on!

[Cha]

65. Really nice to get your perspective.. the insiders view, too, csziggy! Mahalo for his bio and for

pointing out he "took the path of love over the pit of hate."

[csziggy]

66. I just sent an email to him, thanking him for his statement

Mayor Gillum, THANK YOU for your wonderful statement on marriage equality and for inviting loving couples from all over the state to come to Tallahassee to be married. I've been distressed by the messages of hate from so many Florida county clerks and embarrassed for my state.

Your statement shows that not all of Florida citizens are hateful and that many communities can offer an open hand to those who just want to profess their love.

Thank you - oh, and you have a beautiful family.

I don't live in the city limits so I've never voted for him - but I will watch his career closer and be ready to volunteer if he runs for a state office!

[Cha]

68. Mahalo.. that's a brilliant Thank you to Mayor Andrew Gillum, csziggy!

[csziggy]

70. Thank you, Cha!

I figured there are enough conservatives he might be getting some hate emails so I wanted to thank him. He deserves ot!

[RayOfHope]

62. Thank you, Cha

Reading this makes a nice positive end to my very long and not so nice day.

[Cha]

71. THank you, RayOfHOpe! I know exactly what you mean..

[AtomicKitten]

63. Beautiful.

[Cha]

72. Mahalo, AKitten~

[sheshe2]

64. Thank you Cha,

Can't even begin to let you know how much I needed this tonight.



So beautiful.

[Cha]

67. You're Welcome, she.. I know what you mean.. beauty that stands.

Sorry, I took so long..

[treestar]

69. He's terrific!

Great thing he had to say. One great family there.

[Cha]

74. Mahalo for responding, treestar! Indeed, an Amazing Mayor of Tallahassee and his familty!

Mayor Andrew Gillum

[Cha]

75. Just a kick!

[chillfactor]

76. what a beautiful answer to the bigots....

and what a beautiful family

[Cha]

77. I know, chillfactor! It should be on monument dedicated to Love and Equality, somewhere

prominent so many many more People can read it!

[Cha]

78. YEAH.. "Love is Never Wrong".. Mayor Gillum

[get the red out]

79. We need more

Of wise and compassionate people like him in leadership positions. They are a lovely family.

[Cha]

80. Yes We Do, get the red out! Mahalo~

[handmade34]

81. a fine man...

did a little research... we need more politicians like Gillum!!

http://www.talgov.com/commission/commission-officials-gillum.aspx

[Cha]

82. "With a passion for public service, and the ability to motivate and mobilize people to action.. "

Such a fine person.. mahalo, handmade!

[Cha]

83. Love Kick