We’re all the same people, it’s just that we think differently or we were born differently, and these people should be treated the same way as you would treat somebody else.

–Ethan, an eight year old organizing a marriage equality rally in Denver, Colorado

Wow.

For the most part, I hate it when youth are used as props in rallies to make the points for adults. But wow, how compelling it is when a pre-teen youth actually steps up of their own volition to take action on a issue the youth cares about.

Public Service News has a piece up, entitled Denver 3rd-Grader Holds Equal Rights Rally at Capitol Saturday. The article describes how an eight year-old named Ethan is taking a stand for marriage equality in his state:

Denver – It’s a big project on an even bigger issue, and it was created by one little boy. His name is Ethan, and the Denver third-grader is wading into the equal marriage rights debate.

Ethan wanted to do something after learning one of the children in his neighborhood had two moms who are unable to be married in Colorado. He called local officials, worked on the permits to hold a rally, created a lineup of speakers and hung fliers around town. Ethan’s rally is Saturday at noon on the West steps of the Capitol, and he says the message is simple.

“People should be treated the same and they should have equal marriage rights and equal protection.” …

Take a read of the whole piece, or listen to the audio for the article — audio where Ethan speaks in his own voice in well reasoned statements on human equality. It’s pretty damn powerful.

Ethan gives me lots of hope for America’s future generations of citizens; at eight, Ethan apparently already gets the concept that civil rights are human rights.