Gay rights group Equality
Maryland on Wednesday released a video featuring Baltimore Ravens
linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo pledging his support for a gay marriage
bill.
An issue that “I'm quite proud about
is love and marriage,” Ayanbadejo says in the
one-minute-sixteen-second video.
“Gay and lesbian couples want to
marry for similar reasons as we all do: love and commitment. It's
time to allow them the opportunity to build a family through
marriage. It's a matter of fairness. This is why I'm asking
Marylanders to join me in supporting marriage equality for same-sex
couples.”
The
Maryland House on Wednesday gave its preliminary OK to the
legislation. A final vote could come as early as Thursday.
“Having the freedom to marry means
committed couples and their children will have the same crucial
protections under the laws as other couples. Churches can always
have their beliefs, but government is supposed to treat everybody the
same, and that's equal. America is supposed to be the land of the
free but in order for this to be true for all of us, then we must
have the ability to marry whom we love regardless of their gender.”
“Think about it, and join me in the
land of the brave for standing on the side of love,” Ayanbadejo
adds. (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)