Faith In America today praised Michelle Obama for connecting the historical dots of discrimination and prejudice for Americans in a speech yesterday in New York.

The wife of Democratic Presidential Nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama stated during the speech that African-Americans and gay and lesbian citizens have marched on the journey toward full equality.

“We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall, in the pursuit of a more perfect union,” she was quoted to say in an Associated Press article.

Brent Childers. executive director of Faith In America, today thanked Michelle Obama for recognizing that history holds a valuable lesson for the pursuit of equality in America.

“When Michelle Obama makes that connection, it will eventually lead Americans to recognize religion-based prejudice and discrimination as the commonality of not only injustices against African-Americans and the gay and lesbian community but also women, interracial couples as well as religious minorities.

“The California Supreme Court in its recent ruling on marriage equality made that same connection…that deep-seated prejudice within majoritarian institutions cannot stand as a barrier to social justice.”

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