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New York Senate Legalizes Gay Marriage
New York became the 6th state to legalize same-sex marriage last night. The bill was approved with a 4 vote lead in the affirmative. This past week, protestors and supporters have been posted outside of the chamber in Albany where the voting takes place. The Senate had been deliberating for nine hours on Friday when the bill was finally passed around 10:30pm EST. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, a key component in the passing of this bill, is a Democrat, and he has been a strong supporter of same-sex marriage since last year. A previous version of the bill was passed last week, but was reevaluated due to some Republican concerns about religious institutions.
Two years ago, this approval was defeated in a Democrat-dominated Senate, causing many gay rights advocates to begin to lose hope in a currently Republican-dominated Senate. However, 4 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, along with 29 Democrats, leaving the final vote as 33-29. Only one Democratic senator, Rubén Díaz, Sr., did not vote for same-sex marriage. Diaz stated “God, not Albany, has settled the definition of marriage, a long time ago.” On the flip side, Republican Senator Mark J. Grisanti, originally in opposition of gay marriage, proposed that he “cannot deny, a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife.” New York is currently the largest state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage.
Contains information from the New York Times.
The notion that marriage equality, the idea that all men and ladies have access to the fundamental institution of marriage, is controversial is so bizarre to me. Civil marriage (the only kind of marriage recognised in our laws) is fundamental to American life. Permitting gays and lesbians to access this institution inside the most honest methods, does not hurt the institution, rather it brings greater respect and reverence for the institution. They are not asking for a brand new institution, special rights, or access to some thing novel. They’re simply for asking for the exact same respect and dignity afforded to the rest of us automatically. I raise my glass in celebration, Cheers.