>> well, words have koconsequens and history says that they are used for discrimination and bullying, but the unfortunate reality is that oftentimes the statements that are made by our leaders whether they be religious leaders or elected officials are given increased credibility and great weight. and they are certainly not a helpful way for further discussion on the real barriers that gay and transgendered americans face in everyday life, and so the unfortunate part is that these kinds of statements lead to the fact that gays and lesbians can still be fired in 35 states across our country simply for their sexual orientation, or in 41 states for their gender identity. there is also an epidemic of bullying across the country, and we believe that there is a responsibility on our part to call out the statements by representative kern and others like her as not only inaccurate, but as being incredibly