Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has
recorded an ad for the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Americans for
Marriage Equality campaign.
“As governor, I believe the state of
Washington cannot be in the business of discrimination,” Gregoire
says in the 40-second video released Thursday. “As an American, a
wife and mother: Marriage equality is fair, just and right. And it
is time.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.
Visit
our video library for more videos.)
Gregoire last month announced she would
support an effort to make Washington the seventh state to legalize
gay marriage.
(Related: Chris
Gregoire nudges Obama on gay marriage.)
On Wednesday, the
Washington Senate approved the bill by a wider margin than expected.
The issue is also being discussed in
five other states. In Washington, New Jersey and Maryland, lawmakers
are debating whether to legalize the institution. In Minnesota and
North Carolina, voters will decide on the definition of marriage.
And supporters of marriage equality in Maine announced
last week that they will return the issue to the ballot box this
November.
Recent contributors to Americans for
Marriage Equality include The Talk co-host Aisha
Tyler, Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott
Fujita, Pariah's Kim
Wayans and Dee Rees (the film's star and writer-director),
Precious star Mo'Nique,
The Good Wife's Josh
Charles, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon
Ayanbedejo, Minnesota Senator Al
Franken and Julian
Bond, chairman emeritus of the National Association for the
advancement of Colored People (NAACP).