You suck, New York
The State Senate has killed marriage-equality legislation, with 38 no votes and 24 yes votes. Only Democrats voted in favor.
A number of Democrats spoke in favor of the bill, most hitting on similar points. An exception was Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., who spoke against the bill, citing religious opposition and same-sex marriage bans in the majority of other states.
But the bill's sponsor, Senator Tom Duane, ended the debate with a lengthy and often passionately personal plea to his fellow senators. He invoked other civil rights issues and asked them to vote with him and be "on the right side of history."
No Republicans spoke on the floor during debate, and though leadership left it up to each senator to vote according to his or her conscience, none broke from GOP ranks. All of Rochester's senators: Jim Alesi, George Maziarz, Mike Nozzolio, and Joe Robach voted no.
To mark the vote, the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley is holding the All Families Matter rally at 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of University and Atlantic Avenues. The event was intended for interested citizens to celebrate or mourn - clearly they'll be doing the latter.
Comments for "Civil rights? Not here, not now: Senate overwhelmingly rejects marriage equality" (5)
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bill said on Dec. 02, 2009 at 3:29pm
I think it is time for EVERY gay American to file lawsuits against the states and the feds.
Louis Richards said on Dec. 02, 2009 at 3:53pm
Republicans would never support this bill. Instead of defending the right for two consenting adults to marry, Republicans are engaged in remoulding their "Family Values" to accommodate the new Palin Model: pregnant teen with fatherless child.
LP said on Dec. 02, 2009 at 4:45pm
I say we propose a new bill.
Marriage for EVERYONE or Divorce for NO ONE, EVER under any circumstance.
Rev. Chaplain Michael J. Nicosia said on Dec. 03, 2009 at 8:33am
Emboldened by election wins this past November and fearful of the Dede Scozzafava effect, many of our Republican Senators have broken their off-the-record promises to Senator Duane and their lesbian and gay constituents. Apparently voting their consciences (assuming they have them) means serving the voters who will support their re-elections whether they agree with them or not. On the surface it may seem like they were influenced by the will of their constituents, but let's not forget the attempted coup that halted the business of the people in its tracks. The Republican block�s unanimous silence during the floor debate yesterday shows that it was yet another political maneuver to regain control of the Senate. Their votes against the civil rights of same-sex couples and their families were votes for self-preservation. Come next election, we�ll remember.
hiwayman17 said on Dec. 06, 2009 at 5:26pm
In the shadow of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglas, I hope and pray every woman and every African American is outraged by this denial of a civil right. I hope they are calling and writing their state senators.
Sadly, our local senators are cowards. This is not a religious issue. This isn't really even about marriage. It is just about equal rights, civil rights and a sorry judgment to deny a segment of the population rights equal to others.
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