Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley says
he signed a gay marriage law because even “a 4-year-old knows the
value of human dignity.”
At a Thursday signing ceremony held in
Annapolis, O'Malley, who had championed the bill in his annual State
of the State address and at committee hearings on the issue, said he
supported marriage equality because he felt the state had an
obligation to protect the children of gay couples equally.
“We are one Maryland and all of us at
the end of the day want the same things for our children. We want
them to live in a loving, caring and committed home that is protected
equally under the law,” O'Malley told supporters.
In an op-ed published the next day by
The
Huffington Post, O'Malley expanded on the theme.
“During the debate in Maryland's
House, I joined same-sex marriage supporters outside of the chambers
who were anxiously awaiting the vote. I met two moms and their
4-year-old son Will. After standing for hours, Will was tired and
seemed a bit uninterested. I could only imagine how hard it would be
to understand the complex discussions as a 4-year-old.”
“But the next day I saw a photo of
Will and his family taken right after the House voted in support of
marriage equality. His little face was lit up with joy, and he was
cheering as his moms hugged him with the love that only a mother can
provide. Will may not have understood the debates, but his smile
after the vote proved one very important thing: even a 4-year-old
knows the value of human dignity.”
“Yesterday,” O'Malley added, “was
a day for Maryland's children. It was a day for human dignity.”