The Evolution Continues......

Just days after President Obama's historic announcement that he supports marriage equality, the board of the NAACP, one of the nation’s oldest and largest African American advocacy organizations, has passed a resolution to also support same-sex marriage.

Board chair, Roslyn Brock: “The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure the political, social and economic equality of all people. We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law.”

Brock's announcement comes on the heels of NAACP chairman emeritus, Julian Bond, who has already pledged his support for marriage equality earlier in the week, as part of a coalition of black leaders trying to tamp down speculation that Obama’s support of gay marriage would divide the black community.

And it won't because, well, it's simple, equality does not divide people, it unties them.

And the NAACP resolution and statement specifically noted its support of “civil marriage” for same sex couples, while respecting religious freedom--something nearly everyone who works for marriage equality understands. Churches should not be forced to perform same-sex unions unless they choose.

Here is the full resolution released Saturday:

“The NAACP Constitution affirmatively states our objective to ensure the “political, educational, social and economic equality” of all people. Therefore, the NAACP has opposed and will continue to oppose any national, state, local policy or legislative initiative that seeks to codify discrimination or hatred into the law or to remove the Constitutional rights of LGBT citizens. We support marriage equality consistent with equal protection under the law provided under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.  Further, we strongly affirm the religious freedoms of all people as protected by the First Amendment.”

Perfection. 

via Politico