Del. Mary Washington is Speaking

"The bridge that is offered by civil unions is a bridge that takes us nowhere. There was no bridge out of slavery."

"Rights are indeed conferred by legislative bodies--such as the Voting Rights Act."

"I am proud that people across the world in movements of people that are oppressed take our experience as motivation and inspiration. That's something we should be proud of. The rights of LGBT to marry takes nothing away from others. Takes nothing away from my colleague's grandfather" (i.e. what he accomplished).

"This is not about same-sex marriage. This about everyone being equal to marry."

"For those of you who cannot accept that civil marriage is a civil right or the analogies to the fight against miscegenation laws, I respectfully disagree."

"There are many of you who are against this legislation but have sponsored legislation to extend protections to other Marylanders discriminated under the law." "I am asking you as a black American, as a women, as a same-gender living person who is here and not going here. We've been invisible, especially our African-American community, especially because of the bias against our community."

"Today is an opportunity to build us up and to build new allies. Or you can stand with the people in this body who have voted against more funding more your schools." "I am asking you to stand with the seven of us because we we believe it is the job of everyone in this body to stand for civil rights."

"You can know you're doing the right thing by the people you're around."

"Please stand with us.'