A Moment In History To Be Recognized

Yesterday Democratic Representatives Jerrold Nadler of New York, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, and Jared Polis of Colorado introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to recognize the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Stonewall is our Montgomery Bus Boycott. It is the LGBT community's rallying cry that enough is enough....enough was enough. And it should continue to be our rallying cry today in the on-going, decades long struggle for equality for all Americans.

On June 28, 1969, during a climate of fear and terror against the LGBT community in New York City and nationally, the New York Police Department conducted a raid of the Stonewall Inn, a bar in New York’s Greenwich Village frequented by the LGBT community. Bruised, shocked, angry and fed up, patrons of the bar organized spontaneous demonstrations outside the bar and onto the streets of New York City. Protests continued during the next few days. This watershed moment is the symbolic genesis of the gay rights movement in the U.S.

Jerrold Nadler: “The events at Stonewall 40 years ago had a profound effect on how LGBT Americans came to see their struggle for equality. Stonewall catalyzed gay Americans--and those who support their rights--into putting gay rights on the forefront, out in the open, unafraid and unapologetic. We have come very far in the battle for LGBT rights and acceptance since Stonewall, but we still have a ways to go. Together, we will keep fighting.”

Tammy Baldwin: “Stonewall was a moment in time that sparked a movement. We honor all those who stood their ground at Stonewall as we carry on their quest for full and equal rights for all Americans.”

Barney Frank: “As we move ahead in the movement for legal equality, it is important to remember those who had the courage to fight hard when things were much tougher."

Jared Polis: "With President Obama, the Democratic Congress, and the nation at our side, we are facing an incredible, historic opportunity for change for the LGBT community. But we cannot go forward without being mindful of where we’ve been. Stonewall brought the gay rights movement to the forefront of American culture and gave rise to the vibrant and politically active LGBT community that we have today. Our job now is to pick up where they left off and to provide equal rights for all Americans.”