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"It is a day historians will mark as a milestone for equal rights. A day when we did what was right, we did what was just, and we did what was fair." _Gov. Chris Gregoire, before signing into law a bill that makes Washington state the seventh state, plus the Washington, D.C., to legalize same-sex marriage.

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"Years from now, our kids will look back and wonder what all the fuss was about." _Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle.

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"We are here today because of courageous legislators, Democratic and Republican, who voted for our families, often at great political risk to themselves." _Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, and sponsor of the gay marriage bill.

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"I do think that people want to treat gay people fairly. That doesn't mean they have that civil right to marriage." _Joe Fuiten, senior pastor at Cedar Park Church in Bothell who is involved in the referendum effort.

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"Valentine's Day is coming a day early this year." _Kathleen Taylor, executive director of the ACLU of Washington.

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"This is what human rights history looks like. We're proud of Washington because we believe that marriage equality is a human right which has to be honored and protected." _Chris Stearns, Chairman of the Seattle Human Rights Commission.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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