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Speaker: ... to tomorrow as we are moving in to next week. And making sure that we don't
put the responsibility on legislators to do the right thing, but we do the right thing
with each other in our own neighborhoods.
Crowd: (Applause)
Speaker: What was his name?
Crowd: MARK CARSON
Speaker: What was his name?
Crowd: MARK CARSON
Speaker: Remember that name as you tell people tomorrow what you saw tonight. As you try
and work together to create a violence-free village, a violence free New York City, where
people of color, people who identify with whatever sexuality they want can walk down
the street and be who they are. Let us build a movement that will take on every single
one of these incidents. So the next time we come out, because there will be a next time,
we're five times this size.
Speaker: What was his name?
Crowd: MARK CARSON
Crowd: (Applause)
Speaker: I moved here a month ago from California. I am lucky enough to be of the generation
that I've never felt shame for who I was. I've never had to go through the battles that
the older generations went through. And I want to thank the older generation first of
all, I know how much a battle it was and how many people you lost.
Crowd: (applause)
It's a two sided war, the haters... the haters... they fight with violence, we fight with love.
We are past the turning point. More thant 55% of the US accepts us. We are getting there.
If you're okay with that, Ok. But there's a simple thing you can do. Tell one person
that doesn't know that you're gay. I don't care who, family co-worker, the guy you get
your coffee from, and we'll stay at 55%. Tell two, and it'll get better! Tell three people,
and it'll be fantastic!
Crowd: (applause)
Speaker: If you're happy with who you are, tell everybody, because I guarantee you: I
just met my dad two years ago, he's a Mormon with four kids, my last name is ROMNEY. And
you know what? They accept me! They love me because I told them, because they knew who
I was and they... gay is not unknown to them, they know a gay person, there's noth.. they're
not afraid anymore. So when they see gay on the ballot, they see me on the ballot. That's
what's changing everything.
Crowd: (applause)
Speaker: One more thing. Thank you for the NYPD for not being the NYPD that was at Stonewall
Riots. It's the NYPD that is all the way down Christopher Street, to Rokbar, and all the
gay bars making sure that we are all okay, tonight.
Crowd: (applause)
Speaker: He's in a wonderful relationship in London, thank heavens!
Crowd: (applause)
Speaker: I stand here... I emailed my son, and he emailed us and asked me and Dad (he's
back there) if we would come tonight to support all of you, support him and for me to bring
a candle for him. I'm a mother of a gay son. I know that he would like for me to say, to
all of you, and I'm saying it to him too: You stand tall. You be proud of who you are.
You demand nothing less than what you have the right to have, for the rest of your lives.
Stay together. Be a team. Love each other. And just know that there are parents out here
that will support any and every one of you. Because we love you too.
Spectator: I LOVE YOU MOM!
Speaker: We love you son and his partner so much and thank you again.