00:00Ours is a fight for the future, and ours is a fight for freedom.
00:07In this moment across our nation, we witness a full-on attack on hard-won, hard-fought
00:14freedoms.
00:16While you teach students about democracy and representative government, extremists attack
00:25the sacred freedom to vote.
00:28While you try to create safe and welcoming places where our children can learn, extremists
00:37attack our freedom to live safe from gun violence.
00:42They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom.
00:49While they refuse to pass common-sense gun safety laws.
01:00And while you teach students about our nation's past, these extremists attack the freedom
01:08to learn and acknowledge our nation's true and full history, including book bans.
01:17Book bans in this year of our Lord 2024.
01:25And on these last two issues, on these last two issues, just think about it.
01:30So we want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books.
01:38Can you imagine?
01:43All the while, these extremists also attack the freedom to love who you love openly and
01:49with pride.
01:56They pass so-called don't-say-gay laws.
01:59Now I have to tell you, so many of you may know, in 2004, on Valentine's Day weekend,
02:10I was one of the first elected officials in the country to perform same-sex marriages.
02:23So here's the thing.
02:26It pains me so to think 20 years later that there are some young teachers in their 20s
02:36who are afraid to put up a photograph of themselves and their partner for fear they
02:41could lose their job.
02:44And what is their job?
02:45The most noble of work, teaching other people's children.
02:49And God knows we don't pay you enough as it is.
02:57In this moment, we are in a fight for our most fundamental freedoms.
03:04And to this room of leaders, I say, bring it on.
03:09Bring it on.
03:10Bring it on.
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