WASHINGTON — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, released the following statement on behalf of Executive Director Rick Zbur following Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announcement that he will retire from the U.S. Supreme Court:
“As the architect of four landmark LGBTQ civil rights decisions – Romer, Lawrence, Windsor, and Obergefell – that guaranteed our community the equal dignity we all deserve, Justice Kennedy played a historic role on the Supreme Court. While Justice Kennedy has been known as as a fair-minded, independent voice on the court, it is particularly disappointing that he has chosen to end his career after supporting three shameful rulings rolling back the clock on religious discrimination, reproductive rights and the rights of workers.” “The stakes for the next nomination are too high for our community to sit back and let the White House ram through another anti-LGBTQ extremist. It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure Justice Kennedy’s replacement is willing to stand up to the Trump-Pence Administration and protect our civil rights. We urge every member of the United States Senate who supports equality and social justice for the LGBTQ community, for women, for immigrants and for communities of color to refuse to confirm any nominee until after the November midterm elections. “As Senator McConnell said in 2016, ‘The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let’s give them a voice. Let’s let the American people decide.'”
“As the architect of four landmark LGBTQ civil rights decisions – Romer, Lawrence, Windsor, and Obergefell – that guaranteed our community the equal dignity we all deserve, Justice Kennedy played a historic role on the Supreme Court. While Justice Kennedy has been known as as a fair-minded, independent voice on the court, it is particularly disappointing that he has chosen to end his career after supporting three shameful rulings rolling back the clock on religious discrimination, reproductive rights and the rights of workers.”
“The stakes for the next nomination are too high for our community to sit back and let the White House ram through another anti-LGBTQ extremist. It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure Justice Kennedy’s replacement is willing to stand up to the Trump-Pence Administration and protect our civil rights. We urge every member of the United States Senate who supports equality and social justice for the LGBTQ community, for women, for immigrants and for communities of color to refuse to confirm any nominee until after the November midterm elections.
“As Senator McConnell said in 2016, ‘The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let’s give them a voice. Let’s let the American people decide.'”
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
