Brendon Ayanbadejo delivers pep talk on Supreme Court steps

Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

WASHINGTON — Brendon Ayanbadejo, linebacker and gay rights advocate, spoke at a marriage equality rally in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning as justices heard arguments in a case about California's ban on same-sex marriage.

"First and foremost, I have to say I'm not here as a Baltimore Raven," Ayanbadejo said. "I'm actually here as a patriot — as a patriot to uphold the Constitution of the United States."

That drew loud applause from a boisterous crowd of hundreds, most there in support of gay marriage. Ayanbadejo is among a group, which includes Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, that filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case.

"So this is a fight that we've seen here before, we've been here before," Ayanbadejo said. "How is this any different than Loving v. Virginia?"

That's the landmark Supreme Court case that struck down bans on interracial marriage in 1967. Ayanbadejo is a son of interracial parents.

"Luckily, I'm a child of the '70s, because in some states in the '60s, I wouldn't be here," Ayanbadejo said. "So I'm a testament to progress. I'm a testament to things are changing. Love is always going to win the game."

Ayanbadejo, who's been an outspoken advocate on marriage equality since 2009, made headlines last fall when a Maryland state delegate asked the Ravens to stop him from speaking out. The resulting controversy served as a megaphone for his views to be heard nationally.

Ayanbadejo did not speak out as forcefully in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, because he said he didn't want his political views to overshadow his team's goal of winning the game. But he promised to speak out again after the game, and Tuesday he was front and center.

"There is actually a secret as to why we won that football game," Ayanbadejo said. "And everyone here in the LGBT community and all the (straight) allies know what the secret is. But I'm going to share it with you guys and I'm going to share it with the rest of the world. Just make sure that no other NFL teams are listening to the secret, all right."

And next he told of how he eats lunch every day with teammates who line up next to him and how they share their personal lives.

"I'm going to do everything I can not to let that man down because I love that man next to me," Ayanbadejo said.

He believes that some day soon there will be openly gay players in the NFL with whom to share meals and the details of family life.

"I talk to that man about my wife and kids," he said, "and one day that man is going to talk to me about his husband and his kids."

The crowd broke into loud applause, placards bobbing over their heads.

"We won the football game because of love," Ayanbadejo said. "We loved our teammates more than the opposing team, more than the opposition (to gay marriage) and all these other people who are against us, love their family members, their teams and their country. As I said before, at the end of the day, love is always going to win the game."

Other rally speakers included David Frum, a former presidential speechwriter for George W. Bush, and Eleanor Holmes Norton, delegate to the U.S. Congress representing the District of Columbia.

"I do have to give credit to a lot of the bipartisanism that's been going on," Ayanbadejo said. "A bunch of people are jumping on board for marriage equality. And we've been here, because we know it's not the popular thing to do, that's not why we're here. We're here because it's the right thing to do. And it's our mission."

There were opponents to gay marriage in the crowd, many carrying signs that said "Every child deserves a mom and a dad." A few protesters carried signs with gay slurs. Gay marriage supporters carried signs such as "It gets better? Let's MAKE it better," and "The arc of history bends toward justice," showing the multicolored arc of a rainbow.

The vibe was mostly celebratory as rally supporters chanted slogans such as "Gay, straight, black, white — marriage is a civil right!" A group of women boogied as they carried a sign saying "Wedding bands make me dance."

"We're not only strengthening the family unit, we're not only strengthening the communities by marriage equality," Ayanbadejo said. "We're strengthening schools. We're allowing kids to stand up taller and be more confident and be happier people. We're strengthening America. And we're also strengthening locker rooms all across the country. No matter what sport it is, you can play."

The crowd was too big for the Supreme Court side of the street and many rally attendees stood on the Capitol side of First Street. Police continually shooed people onto the curbs to keep them from blocking lanes.

"It's such an honor to be here," Ayanbadejo said. "I'm one of the most unlikely of candidates being an ally, and I couldn't be more proud of the LGBT community for who you guys are and believing in yourselves when everyone and everything is telling you no.

"You're going to continue to fight because you know you are on the right side of history. You are on the right side of the law. And all of your allies, like myself, we are going to continue to fight with you. Love is always going to win the game — and the game of life."

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Follow Erik Brady on Twitter @byerikbrady