By John Wagner A video featuring Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo made its debut Friday, becoming the second in a Web campaign that seeks to build support for same-sex marriage legislation in Maryland.
“I support marriage for gay and lesbian couples who want to make a lifetime commitment to each other,” Ayanbadejo says in the video sponsored by Marylanders for Marriage Equality. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who has pledged to sponsor the bill in the coming session, appeared in the campaign’s first video earlier this month. Organizers have vowed to produce a stream of videos until the bill is considered early next year. The videos are expected to include other athletes as well as clergy, law enforcement officers and other well-known politicians.
The Web campaign is loosely patterned after an effort in New York in advance of that state’s embrace of a same-sex marriage bill this year.
A same-sex marriage bill passed the Senate in the last legislative session but fell short in the House of Delegates. Advocates on both sides are gearing up for another intense round of lobbying.
Ayanbadejo spoke out in favor of the bill during last session as well, appearing in a video that was not as well-publicized.
“We are honored to have a three-time Pro-Bowler and a hometown hero join us in this historic campaign,” said Lisa Polyak of Equality Maryland, a member of the broader coalition pushing for the bill. “Brendon knows what it means to be a leader, both on and off the field.”
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