Loving on loving

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:29am

Mildred Loving, whose 1967 Supreme Court case against the state of Virginia over interracial marriage resulted in the banishment of the last of the nation's segregation laws, died on May 2 at the age of 68. The final sentence in Loving's NYT obituary makes note of her June 2007 statement to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia.

Said Loving at the conclusion of that statement:

"The older generation’s fears and prejudices have given way, and today’s young people realize that if someone loves someone they have a right to marry. Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about."
Towleroad

[wexy]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 1:16pm

Its amazing that there were miscegenation laws on the books in this country until 2000.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06loving.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=mildred+loving&st=nyt&oref=slogin

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 1:31pm

"If someone loves someone they have a right to marry."

Beautiful.