Posts
In New York City, an anti-gay rally held Sunday was held at the same time as the marriage equality rally, and unfortunately, it had a much bigger turn out.According to the New York Times, thousands of anti-gay protesters appeared before New York Gov. David Paterson's Midtown Manhattan office, so in response, he showed up to the marriage equality rally along with Mayor Bloomberg unexpectedly and at the last minute.
He was warmly welcomed.
“We’re in a race right now in New York,” the governor told a crowd of several hundred people who gathered along Avenue of the Americas. “The time for justice, the time for equality, the time for equal rights can never be any more urgent than right now.”
The governor "urged the State Senate on Sunday to take swift action on legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry, signaling that he intends to increase pressure on lawmakers as the end of the 2009 legislative session approaches," reported the New York Times.
The bill has already passed the State Assembly, but the fate of the bill is far from certain in the senate.
Empire State Pride Agenda executive director Alan Van Capelle responded to the news of senators wanting to vote for marriage equality but feared political ramifications.
“Because they’re either lazy or complacent or cowards, they do not act. And history will never forget them. They will not be forgiven,” Mr. Van Capelle said.
The counter protest, where thousands of people lined Third Avenue, was led by the ridiculous, Pentecostal pastor, Sen. Ruben Diaz, and though his earlier protests were dire failures, this was the first success for the marriage equality opponents.
The event, was compared to an evangelical church service,
“We’re here to say to the governor: Mr. Governor, look at the people that are here, these are the people who say we don’t believe in marriage between a man and a man and a woman and a woman,” Mr. Díaz said in Spanish, since the protest was organized by the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization.
WE HAVE TO ACT NOW TO HELP THE PASSAGE OF THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL!
Six weeks is all that is left before the senate session adjourns for the year. If it's not brought up to a vote, it will most likely die.
Contact the New York Senators and urge them to vote yes for the bill.
Pressure Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith to bring the bill to a vote! Find all his contact information for his three offices here!
Or email him at masmith@senate.state.ny.us
One can't really complain about the turnout; After all, the jesus freaks were compelled to attend, the pro gay marriage side wasn't.
ReplyDeleteThat said, should there have been better numbers? Yes, of course; That there wasn't is because those who organized the event didn't do a good job promoting it.
Not everyone does Facebook or MySpace, not everyone is umbilically corded to Twitter, and the GLBT online community is not limited to one or two blog or bloggers.