A pro-gay marriage ad narrated by actor
Morgan Freeman is designed to influence decision makers, not voters,
its backers have said.
The 30-second ad, produced by the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest gay rights advocate,
touts the movement's historic November 6 gains and seeks to build
momentum.
(Related: Morgan
Freeman featured in gay marriage ad.)
Voters in 4 states gave marriage
equality supporters significant wins. Maine became the first state
to approve marriage equality by referendum. The victory is
particularly poignant given that voters in 2009 repealed a marriage
law approved by lawmakers. Voters also upheld laws approved by
lawmakers in Maryland and Washington state. And Minnesotans rejected
an effort to constitutionally ban such unions, sparking
a new push to legalize gay nuptials in the state.
The ad is “really to capture the
momentum of the incredible victories we had at the ballot box a few
weeks ago,” HRC spokesman Fred Sainz told the Morning
Sentinel.
“As Morgan Freeman says, there's
still a journey ahead of us,” he added, a reference to the ad's
transcript.
The commercial will air in Washington
D.C., New York and Los Angeles.