In a cliff-hanger vote tonight, the New York Senate made history by passing a bill to allow same-sex marriage in New York. The state's other house, the more liberal Assembly, had already passed a very similar bill and is expected to quickly approve this bill, which gives more protection to religious groups to choose not to perform same-sex ceremonies. Governor Andrew Cuomo has not only said that he will sign the bill, he was a major force behind pushing for the vote.
Because New York is the third most populous state, this one law will more than double the number of people living in a state with gay marriage. It will likely also rekindle efforts to pass similar bills, which failed last year in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maryland, as did a bill in New York.
Five states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia -- now allow gay marriage. New York makes six. And then there is California with the on-again, off-again status of Proposition 8, now working its way through appeals in the federal court system and headed for the U. S. Supreme Court.
Good for New York !!!
Ralph
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A couple more points of significance:
ReplyDelete1. This is significant because it happened in a Republican controlled Senate, and it required some of them who had twice voted against earlier bills to change their minds -- and they did. One spoke about it, saying he had done the research and,"as a lawyer, I could not find one legal reason why same-sex couples should be denied the right to marry." He kept emphasizing "doing the research, finding out the facts." That's a terrific message to come from a former opponent who changed his vote.
2. It is important because New York is a very populous state whose legislature voted it in after protracted struggles -- not mandated by court order, not slipped through by a liberal majority -- but by conflicted but thoughtful people really working to come to a solution.
3. It is important because the courts do pay attention to changes in what is acceptable in social values -- and this represents by far the largest number of people who have decided it democratically.
4. It is important because other states that are considering it will pay attention and likely be influenced. It just begins to seem more the norm than the aberration.
One more:
ReplyDelete5. Every time we have something like the comprehensive trial in CA or the legislative debate in NY, it provides a big step forward in public education.
In the CA Prop8 trial, the prosecution presented such a thorough, in depth, scientific and sociological case; and the defense had almost nothing to make their case except "tradition" and the spurious claim that the institution of marriage would be harmed. That's why the defense fought to keep the trial video from being made public.
For anyone paying attention, it's moves the debate forward a lot; even for those who only absorb trickle-down attitudinal changes, it helps.
And one more:
ReplyDelete6. When major political figures support the cause so strongly, as here Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg, and both New York senators did -- and when the president at least doesn't oppose it but approves of the process of allowing the state to make its own determination -- then it encourages other politicians in other states to give their support.