Al Franken: “all men are created equal. Our Nation's greatest leaders, like Thomas Jefferson, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther…”

“all men are created equal. Our Nation's greatest leaders, like Thomas Jefferson, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King, Jr. have shaped the course of our history by furthering our understanding of this principle. It is because of their struggle to illuminate it that we now live under a system of laws that provides equal protection to Americans, regardless of their race, gender, or religion. It is because of their chutzpah that I, a Jew, can stand before you today as a United States Senator. But there is one group for whom our realization of that principle has not advanced quickly enough. Gay Americans continue to be treated as second-class citizens in our society and under our laws. Nowhere is the unequal treatment of gay Americans more destructive than in our nation's public schools. Currently, Federal law provides no explicit protection to gay students against discrimination and harassment. While Federal civil rights statutes prohibit discrimination and harassment against students based on race, sex, religion, and national origin, these laws do not explicitly address sexual orientation or gender identity. To remedy this injustice, I and 22 of my Senate colleagues are introducing the Student Non-Discrimination Act today.”