New York Gov. David Paterson Introduces Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Now this is leadership. As promised, New York Gov. David Peterson unveils legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. The governor frames the marriage equality debate as a civil rights issue and calls "on the Legislature to add New York to the four states that have already authorized such unions."

The New York Times: "Comparing the status of gay men and lesbians to that of African-Americans, Jews, women and other groups who were historically excluded from full political and social equality, Paterson said he would lead a movement to authorize same-sex marriage. "We have a crisis of leadership today. We’re going to fill that vacuum."

"Paterson, the state's first black governor, compared the same-sex marriage debate today to the abolitionist and civil-rights movements in the 19th and 20th centuries. 'This is a civil rights issues,' Mr. Paterson said, citing issues like hospital visitations, health insurance coverage and inheritance that are connected with marriage. He called for an end to 'a legal system that has systematically discriminated against all of them.'"

The bill is similar to one that passed the Assembly in 2007 but stalled in the then-Republican controlled Senate. The new Democratic majority leader, Senator Malcolm Smith of Queens, pledges action on the bill only when he has sufficient votes for passage. The Democrats hold a razor thin 32-30 majority in the Senate and it's believed the bill is several votes shy of passage.

New York City’s new Roman Catholic Archbishop, Timothy Dolan, was installed on Wednesday. On his very first day as the spiritual leader of New York's 2.5 million Catholics, the new archbishop said he will ensure the measure never passes.

Comments

[TheRevKev]

BRAVO!

A resounding, fully-merited, WOW-OF-A-BRAVO to Governor Paterson for standing up for equality, period.

This is a great day for New York and for urban living, since rural and smaller places like IOWA and CONNECTICUT and VERMONT and MASSACHUSETTS moved forward first. NY becomes the first of the BIG STATES to move forward on this matter.

(((((((((((( NEW JERSEY )))))))))))

Where are you Governor Corzine!?

[The STATE]

Lets save the gays and screw the state everyone else. thanks Paterson.

ps. the gays wont get you reelected.....

[Nicholas]

@ The State:

As if the governor can’t do two things at once.

And he has been talking about this for a long time. Its hardly wildly popular and will guarantee re-election. Its the right thing to do.

PS: You sound very miserable.

[D. Askew]

Right on, Governor Paterson!

Instead of being so worried about gay marriages, the right-wing should be concerned about straight divorces, especially their own divorces, as the real threat to marriage. Are you listening, Rush? Newt?

[White Plains]

Lots of love to the governor.

[Billy Frazier]

It is time, and past time, for this issue to be resolved in favor of civil rights. Extending this right does not diminish the rights of others. It is the simplest thing to do.

And indeed their are other important things to do, but can’t we do more than one thing at a time? As to the people, the people would have retained slavery, the people would have retained Jim Crow, the people would have retained a lot of discrimination. Simply put, the people are not always right, and this is one of those times.

[Carly]

Homophobia and ignorant religious superstition lead normally sane people to proclaim that if you let gays marry, then the “insitution” of mariage will be threatened.

No more absurd statement can be made. Not a single one of these anti-gay rights advocates can cite a single piece of evidence that hetrosexual marriages would be threatened by gays getting married.

And yet there’s going to be a “debate” about this. Sounds to me like it’s giving equal time and weight to the flat-earth theorists. And to the Creationist absurdities.

[Daniel]

Thank You Governor Patterson!!!!!

[Young]

@ The STATE (Mental Hospital) ...

Gov. Paterson is pushing for a the legislature to vote on same-sex marriage. We want the same rights you have. This is front-door, garden variety legislating. Your elected representative will debate the measure, then vote for it or not.

[Carlos]

We all know our elected officials must continually address the economy, but that doesn’t mean other important issues must be ignored, especially when they concern basic civil rights.

As I said earlier this week, I commend Gov Patterson on pushing this important civil rights issue; he’s showing true leadership on this issue. It’s great to see so many politicians and others in favor of gay marriage. Equality in marriage is so basic a right, it’s inevitable.

[charlene]

it is amazing that no one takes into account about what god has said about homosexuality. we just go about doing our own thing. assuming we know it all. history has proven so many things of what was written. but we dont even want to read the word of god to find out what god says about all of this. we didnt come into this world by ourselves and when we leave this earth we cant even stop that process. yet we think all is well.