As an African American...
By Lauren Battaglia
"My family has known all along that I do not and will not ever support discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people. My discussions with my family since the issue of an amendment to define marriage as between a man and a women has come up has been based on my personal experience as an African American growing up in the ’50s and ’60s. I know firsthand the effects of discrimination, and I cannot tolerate or support it ever.
"We have also discussed that most of this discrimination is based on religious teachings, which have no place in the law. Church and state must remain separate. I feel that to bring a certain group’s religious views into the law seriously undermines our basic freedom of religion. I cannot support this. The foundation of our country is based on religious freedom and that freedom must be preserved.
"To ban gay marriage would be the beginning of the erosion of the Constitution and all of our civil and religious rights."
Lauren Battaglia, Campbell, Calif., Married mother of two
April 23, 2004