“The defeat revealed stark divides: All 30 of the Republican senators opposed the bill, as did most of the members from upstate New York and Long Island. Support was heaviest among members from New York City and Westchester County and among the Senate’s 10 black members (!!). Seven of the Senate’s 10 women voted for it.”
What can be said when one of the country’s most “progressive” states couldn’t muster up enough courage to provide equal marriage rights to gay people? Senator Kevin S. Parker (a Brooklyn Democrat) stated that the vote was “ the worst example of political cowardice” he’d ever seen. “Clearly people said things prior to coming to the floor and behaved differently.” So people were ultimately afraid of how they would be viewed, and intimidated by the reactions of others.
Well, I must say I’m tired of the bullshit.
It’s wrong that gay people don’t have the same marriage rights as their straight counterparts – period. When are people going to realize that giving us rights does not undermine the ones they already have – it enhances them, validates them even?
Richard E. Barnes, the executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, made this statement: “Advocates for same-sex marriage have attempted to portray their cause as inevitable, However, it has become clear that Americans continue to understand marriage the way it has always been understood, and New York is not different in that regard. This is a victory for the basic building block of our society.” Wrong, buddy. It is inevitable. So get your weight up ‘cause we’re coming for it.
(via NYTIMES)
