Bruce Springsteen is featured in an ad from The Four, a group working to support marriage equality on the ballots in four states: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington. “The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is — a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law,” the ad reads.
“The quote is actually one that Springsteen cited from then-New Jersey governor Jon Corzine in 2009, when the singer endorsed a bill pending in his home state’s legislature,” USA Today writes:
Scott Wooledge, who says in his Twitter profile that he’s a feature writer for the liberal blog Daily Kos, submitted the Springsteen image and text to The Four 2012.
The organization reached out to Springsteen’s people and heard no objections, said Ryan Davis, one of the group’s co-founders. Newark Mayor Cory Booker retweeted the Springsteen image today, with a message: “Yes, Bruce truly Rocks!”
Brian Ellner, another co-founder of The Four 2012, describes the social media campaign as “Facebook and Twitter meet Rock the Vote for gay marriage.” The idea is to create digital content every day before the election so people understand the four ballot initiatives and what’s at stake.
In 2009, this statement appeared on Springsteen’s website:
Like many of you who live in New Jersey, I’ve been following the progress of the marriage-equality legislation currently being considered in Trenton. I’ve long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor Corzine when he writes that, “The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is — a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law.†I couldn’t agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now.
Voters in November will decide whether or not to allow same-sex marriage in Maine, Washington, and Maryland, while voters in Minnesota will decide whether or not to ban same-sex marriage in their constitution.
Regular readers know Scott Wooledge well. He’s generously shared his work and been quoted here at The New Civil Rights Movement, and has also written at Pam’s House Blend and The Huffington Post.