Ellen Degeneres receives Highest Civilian Award from President Barack Obama

She received the Presidential medal of freedom from President Obama last Night.
 

Emotions were running high as the announcer read out Ellen's achievements, while President Barack Obama placed the medal on her neck. "In a career spanning three decades, Ellen DeGeneres has lifted our spirits and brought joy to our lives as a stand-up comic, actor and television star. In every role, she reminds us to be kind to one another and to treat people as each of us wants to be treated. At a pivotal moment, her courage and candour helped change the hearts and minds of millions of Americans, accelerating our nation's constant drive towards equality and acceptance for all. Again and again, Ellen DeGeneres has shown us that a single individual can make the world a more fun, more open, more loving place so long as we justkeep swimming," said the announcer.
President Obama said "It's easy to forget now, when we've come so far, where now marriage is equal under the law, just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages almost 20 years ago."He went on to describe Ellen as someone who is "so full of kindness and light, who unifies the country by showing people that they have more in common than they realise".