"We are saddened that the President has embraced an amendment to the United States Constitution that would limit the liberties of American citizens for the first time in the nation's history. In his recent State of the Union, the President pronounced, 'The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight.'

By his support for this proposed amendment, the President chooses to engage in the politics of division rather than upholding individual freedom and valuing diversity. The President opposes hate crime legislation and workplace protection for our nation's gay and lesbian citizens.

The President has abandoned conservative principles of states rights, freedom of religion and individual liberty at the altar of reelection. Instead of allowing each state to make its own determination, the President is attempting to have the Constitution eliminate that state right.

George W. Bush is the first US President to try to limit the rights of religion. It is each religion's right to decide whether to marry same sex couples with same effect. The President supports those who wish to dictate their religious ideology on other religions.

Individual liberty is the founding principle of the founding fathers. The proposed Amendment would create two classes of Americans. That is an abomination of democratic ideals.

Equality Forum is the largest regional, national and international Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) civil rights forum, working to create understanding about homophobia and its multifaceted impact on individuals, families and society. Equality Forum 2004 from April 26 to May 2 has 57 events with 80 regional, national and international organizations participating in substantive programming. Twenty-three executive directors of major state, national and international GLBT organizations serve as moderators and panelists. Equality Forum 2004 includes eight state, national and international organizations and 13 national leaders participating in programming about Marriage Equality for Gays and Lesbians.

For more information please visit www.equalityforum.com or contact Alisha Simons, Communications Associate, at alisha@equalityforum.com or (215) 732-3378, ext.12.