From the Boston Globe:
N.Y. gay marriage measure defeated
Governor says vote lacked fortitude (Sort of like cheating on your wife, Gov. Paterson?)
ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York state Senate decisively rejected a bill yesterday that would have allowed gay couples to wed, providing a major victory for those who oppose same-sex marriage and underscoring the deep and emotional divisions surrounding the issue.
The 38-24 margin startled proponents of the bill, and signaled that political momentum, at least right now, has shifted against same-sex marriage, even in heavily Democratic New York. The vote followed more than a year of lobbying by gay rights organizations, who have poured close to $1 million into New York legislative races to boost support for the measure.
Senator Thomas W. Libous, the deputy Republican leader, said the public is gripped by economic anxiety and remains uneasy about changing the state?s definition of marriage.
?Certainly this is an emotional issue and an important issue for many New Yorkers,?? said Libous, who represents Binghamton. ?I just don?t think the majority care too much about it at this time because they?re out of work, they want to see the state reduce spending, and they are having a hard time making ends meet. And I don?t mean to sound callous, but that?s true.??
The defeat, which followed a stirring and at times deeply personal debate, all but ensures the issue is dead in New York until at least 2011, when a new Legislature will be installed.
Since 2003, seven states, including three that border New York, legalized same-sex marriage. But in two of the seven, including Maine last month, voters have reversed the decisions of lawmakers or judges in referendums, and effectively outlawed gay nuptials.
In Albany yesterday, proponents had believed going into the vote that they could attract up to 35 supporters to the measure; at their most pessimistic, they said they would draw at least 26. They had the support from Governor David A. Paterson, who has publicly championed the bill, along with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, and the Senate Democratic leadership.
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 African-Americans. Seven of the Senate?s 10 women voted for it.
Senators who are considered politically vulnerable also voted almost uniformly against the bill, including four first-term Democrats.
(Emphasis is solely mine.)
Tags: News and Media, Orthodoxy at Work
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Yes, I read that yesterday with delight. Also with surprise that the People would again speak against such absurdity in the Republik of New York. Wonder of wonders. Keep praying.
The American Psychiatric Association considered homosexuality a "mental defect" until 1973.
The truth shall prevail and that is all I am going to say.
w00t
Praise and thanks be to God! And now if we can reform the marriage prep process, we might get more people entering the state of marriage with a better understanding of its meaning and purpose.
But, Nerina, surely you jest!
That would fail to uphold the fundamental American value of divorce!
Without the real possibility of divorce, we'd lose the blessed institution of Prenups, and there would be nothing to talk about in People Magazine…
Of course, then again, I really dislike People Magazine 😛
-Arialdus
Hold that thought, Arialdus. I've got to finish reading this story about Tiger Woods and his wife…:).
Don't get married. Buy a car instead. At least you can test drive that and it comes with a warranty. A spouse only comes with a No Return policy and you can't trade it in even if it's a lemon.
Gov. Patterson was very angry today in his press conference at the University of Rochester. The homosexual marriage vote was of course part of his frustration. He also made comments saying that he plans to fix the state budget on his own, and if our legislature doesn't like it, they can sue him and take him to court.
What kind of governor is this? I personally hope he will run for governor, as he will be destroyed no matter who he runs against.
~Dr. K
Whoa, really? He was here at the U of R, and I missed a chance to throw rotten fruit and tough questions at him?
I suddenly feel less confident in my education, if we hosted that nincompoop…
Dr. K, I heard he will be running against Mr. Spitzer. What is your perdiction?
There was a recent poll I saw in the D&C; in which a majority of New Yorkers would rather see Spitzer as governor than Patterson. I forgot the numbers, but the one I remember was that 17% of people approved of the governor. That's just hilarious, in my opinion. And you've got to remember, this was back in August, I believe.