NBJC Reaction to Federal Court Ruling On Defense of Marriage Act
09 Jul 10 12:00 AM CDT
National Black Justice Coalition
Statement on Federal Court Ruling
on Defense of Marriage Act
On Thursday, a U.S. District Judge in Boston ruled that aspects of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) are unconstitutional because they interfere with the right of the state to define marriage. DOMA was passed in 1996 to express moral disapproval of homosexuality and since then has prevented gay couples from accessing 1,138 federal rights and protections.
In a statement released by the National Black Justice Coalition, Executive Director Sharon J. Lettman said:
"Federal Judge Joseph Tauro’s ruling brings us one step closer to eliminating unjust laws targeting tax-paying gay and lesbian couples who desire to keep their families safe through the use of federal protections. Every couple, gay or straight, should be able to file taxes together to receive maximum financial benefits to sustain their households. Every widow, gay or straight, deserves the right to serve as the financial and material benefactor of his or her deceased spouse’s personal possessions, to preserve the memory of their lives together and to maintain the financial stability of the household they spent their lives building together. There are over one thousand federal protections that DOMA withholds from gay couples and the repeal of this act is long overdue."
The National Black Justice Coalition (www.NBJC.org) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Its mission is to end racism and homophobia. NBJC envisions a world where all people are fully empowered to participate safely, openly and honestly in family, faith and community, regardless of race, gender-identity, or sexual orientation.
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Contact: Stacey Gates, sgates@nbjc.org
202-319-1552, ext. 25 org
