“I was a Boy Scout, and I have wonderful memories of my Boy Scout days and we had no issues like what has come up in recent times. I’m saddened and shocked by the policy the Boy Scouts have.”

— Gay Star Trek veteran GeorgeTakei in an interview June 18 with the New York Daily News on the ouster of Ohio mother Jennifer Tyrrell who was fired from her volunteer Cub Scout leader position in April because she is a lesbian. Takei will be joined in the official Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation car by Tyrrell at the 43rd Annual LGBT Pride March in New York City on June 24.

“Now you can be proud of serving your country, and be proud of who you are.”

— U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta thanking gay and lesbian military members for their service on June 15, as the Pentagon prepared to mark June as Gay Pride month with an official salute.

“After decades of inaction and indifference, you have every reason and right to push, loudly and forcefully, for equality.”

— President Barack Obama in remarks at the LGBT Pride Month reception held June 15 in the East Room of the White House.

“Once again this year, June is filled with cities holding Gay Pride celebrations. Every year I continue to challenge believers to pray about what we can do peacefully but permanently to put an end to these events in our cities.”

— Linda Harvey of Mission America in a June 14 radio broadcast.

“We do not believe the proposed constitutional amendment is in the best interests of our employees or our state economy — and as a Minnesota-based company we oppose it.”

— Ken Charles, vice president of global diversity and inclusion for General Mills, in a June 14 public blog post on the company’s website. Charles wrote the post in response to a proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, making General Mills the largest company in the state to come out against the measure so far.

“We will not rest until full and equal rights are a reality for everyone ... No matter how long the road ahead, I’m confident that we will travel it successfully together. Wherever you are celebrating this month, I wish you a happy Pride.”

— Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commemorating June as LGBT Pride Month in a June 8 video issued by her office.