Last night Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York's marriage equality bill after it passed the Republican-controlled Senate on Friday night, making it the sixth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
Obviously this is an issue that is important to me as I posted on the infamous Prop 8 during the 2008 elections when I lived in California. And more recently, I posted on the impressive turnaround of the former NOM tour manager earlier this year. I think what is significant about the NY passage is the four Republican senators who went against general party lines to vote to pass this (and it should be noted that previous run of this bill in a Democrat-led senate failed miserably):
- Senator James Alesi
- Senator Roy McDonald, who I couldn't agree with more when he said, "You get to the point where you evolve in your life where everything isn't black and white, good and bad, and you try to do the right thing." And well, more famously, "Well, f**k it, I don't care what you think. I'm trying to do the right thing."
- Senator Mark Grisanti, who had this articulate speech on marriage equality as a civil rights issue.
- Senator Saland, who voted against the previous marriage equality bill, but this time around had these words: "While I understand that my vote will disappoint many, I also know my vote is a vote of conscience, I am doing the right thing in voting to support marriage equality."
Gentlemen, thank you for recognizing this is a civil issue, not a gay issue. Thank you for doing the right thing.
Though I still believe civil rights is a national/federal level rather than a state-by-state issue, I think seeing these successful state passes let us witness the change and understanding that is happening through our country, little by little. In time, I'm sure we will look back on this part of history in the same way we currently look at the anti-miscegenation laws of the '60s: Can you believe that the US used to not allow gay marriage?
Until then, New York, I wish I was there for the celebration.
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1 comment:
didn't we just have this convo? my friend on fb (which u need to get on btw) posted a poster that said something like yay for gay marriage... or marriage. i mean i didn't have gay lunch today, and i didn't gay park my car. i mean they said it better obvs but i can't remember.
that said, i will say there is such thing as asian driving :D
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