President Obama today ordered the Department of Justice to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act in courts, because the discriminatory statute is unconstitutional.

Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“In the 15 years since DOMA was made law, it has hurt untold numbers of gay and lesbian Americans, depriving them of the rights to enjoy the full benefits of marriage and forcing them to live as second class citizens. The President has chosen to defend the Constitution of the United States over a discriminatory and clearly unconstitutional law. That decision should be commended. A discriminatory law like DOMA has no place in a country grounded in the values of freedom and equality.”

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