Enter
Q&A
HUFFINGTON
11.04.12
and the parents of Trayvon Martin. I’d never heard of the case.
And when they told me about
the case, and I said, “Alright I’ll
help make it national.” I brought
the family up, put them on my
TV show. Michael Baisden, Tom
Joyner and I hit the airways and
called for a rally. 30,000 people came to Sanford [Florida]. I
didn’t even know where Sanford
was. Once people hear it, and
once you mobilize, people will
come out.
In terms of marriage equality, as a religious
leader but also as an activist, have you ever
had a period in your career where you felt
conflicted? I came out for marriage
equality in 2003. I was not always
there. But I have a member of my
family that was gay who told me,
“Why is it that my mate and I can
build a life, and if something happens to me where I’m not in charge
of my health, they can’t make decisions for me? Or that we can build
wealth together but then we can’t
share it together?” That’s what
started changing me. Why do I need
the permission of your beliefs to
operate my life? And suppose if
I come to power, can then I make
laws against you being a Baptist?
So I came out in 2003, and I went
into the Democratic primary in
2004 raising this issue. I had black
ministers tell me, “I’m not going
to let you preach in my church for
that,” and I told them fine. I’ve seen
a growth now in the faith commu-
Al Sharpton
came out
in support
of marriage
equality in
2003.