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Yesterday City Council Speaker Christine Quinn urged angry New Yorkers to keep the blame focused on the politicians who voted down a bill legalizing gay marriage in the Senate Wednesday. But blame is a burning thing and it makes a fiery ring, and at the center is Governor David Paterson, a longtime supporter of same-sex marriage. Some Democratic party officials believed that Paterson, with his basement-level approval ratings, didn't have any leverage to apply to swing-vote Senators. But others, like suddenly known Staten Island Senator Diane Savino, thinks he could have made the difference.
"He is the governor," Savino tells the Times. "I think he could have been helpful to people who are sitting on the fence." Matthew J. Titone, a Democratic assemblyman from Staten Island who is gay, goes even further: "He had every opportunity to be helpful, and he could have been helpful. So it is very disappointing that he wasn’t." Many state legislators who lobbied colleagues to support the bill say Paterson was MIA leading up to the vote, a characterization that the governor's spokesman disputes: "He made a number of calls to various senators; the advocates requested that he do that."
But let's save a little space in the blame closet for Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., a Democrat from Queens, who was considered a swing vote. Some analysts believe that because the alphabetically-advanced Addabbo voted second in the roll call, his "no" sent a message to subsequent swing voters that the measure would not pass—so from their perspective there was no sense in sticking their necks out for a losing horse.
Speaking to the Times, Addabbo disputed that, insisting, "I don’t think there was any domino effect at all. Even before I said no, these votes were determined." Indeed, Addabbo says his office had been keeping a log of all 400 messages received on the issue; he claims "seventy-four percent were against it. I was trying to represent the consensus of my district." So we might as well blame Howard Beach and Maspeth while we're at it.
Below, a super excellent video of a 58-year-old sick woman asking Senator George Maziarz why she can't marry her girlfriend of 15 years. Choice quote: "We are not talking about religion here. We are talking about civil rights. We, as taxpayers, do not tithe to a church, we pour our money down the Albany drain." [Via Daily Dish]
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Oh lordy, here comes Felix...
in purest form.
Hello People, wake up. Bloomberg didn't do anything for marriage equality. We all know he gets what he wants and yet not one of his republican friends voted for marriage equality. hello people. Quinn didn't pass one LGBT bill in the city council. She lied in the debates that she lobbied Sen Flannagan on marriage equality with her Irish Heritage. Addabo was and will always be an A-hole. I lobbied him once on an issue and this man is a shithead.
Poor Patterson, a fierce supporter of marriage equality and now the movement blames him instead. Quinn's fake tears on TV was a joke. Most people I spoke with told me that it served her right for shoving the term limits bill down our throats.
Never forgive, never forget.
I'm not homophopic or anything (I know a gay person) but I have not heard the argument FOR the children. Don't you think that if gay marriage was legal some kids might learn to be gay and that it was OK. I feel this would be wrong on multiple levels. People really have to stop being selfish and think about the next generation. Marriage is overrated anyway.
:sigh:
People don't learn to be gay, they just are. Idiocy, on the other hand - that can be taught.
"Oh, won't somebody think of the children...!"
Of course people learn to be gay. Everybody is born equal under god. Any deviant or really any behavior is learned through life. A crook is not born a crook. Everybody knows that. And remember they put pedophiles in jail. I'm sure most people would agree with me. Hence the votes.
So Dead Himmler...the Bible also says i am who i am by the grace of God. So why don't you religious fanatics stop cherry picking what you guys want out of the Bible..remember..slaves obey your masters...or how about Jews and Gentials should not mix.
I think you meant Jews and Genitals.
Everyone is loved equally by God.
for the record: god is gay. why do you think he chose all those strapping lads to follow his son around as "disciples" and always talking about "love". baby, that was his macho-macho-man entourage.
I'm gay and grew up in a straight family. I didn't learn how to be straight. People need to educate themselves more. Either your gay or your not. Children don't just pick up a behavior. If you don't know enough about this issue...i will be glad point you to studies and findings by the scientific and medical communities.
Sorry for the butchering of the post...typing using the cell phone. But you get the point.
First off, I can personally guarantee you that its not a choice, no more than a straight person 'chooses' to be attracted to the opposite sex.
Second, even it it were..whats the problem? If you are a law abiding citizen, pay your taxes, mind your own business, and just want to lead a happy life with the person you love, then why would you not deserve the same rights as any other person who gets to do the exact same thing?
And please, stop hiding behind your religion when it comes to this issue...not everyone in this country believes in your god or your bible. This is a free country where the law should be equal to all people regardless of their religious beliefs.
Actually, you are homophobic.
And, if you want to think of kids, think of the kids that are beaten up and tormented just because other kids think they might be gay.
Teaching children to hate others who are different than they are is a very American trait. It doesn't mean it should be perpetuated.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg also made calls and was prepared to fly at a moment’s notice to Albany, where two trucks with members of his security detail were waiting at the airport to whisk him to the Capitol. . We are paying security for his ego. Bloomberg should come out of the closet now.
Now that you mention it, yes mayor Mike could possible be gay. Not that it is good or bad if he is. But a nice observation.
No joke, THere are real rumors that he leaves every weekend to hook up with young men and that he smokes weed. No joking. Bloomberg is so closeted. And this City hall art project was for one of his lovers. no kidding. Per the HBO special OUTRAGE, closeted Homosexual did a lot of harm to the LGBT community.
I'm pretty pissed about this whole blame game situation. To blame the Governor is ridiculous. If anything he has stuck his neck out for the Gay movement. After all he proposed the legislation, and even granted the rights of gays married in other states to be recognized here. People need to call a spade a spade, identify and call out the ones who simply voted NO. To blame the Governor is just plain irresponsible and dumb.
+1
i agree. paterson may be ineffective as a governor but he is as much as a "fierce advocate" for marriage equality as anyone could hope for. he has no clout in the state legislature and can't really strong-arm legislation, but that doesn't make him the enemy of the equality movement.
We should all blame California. Let's pick on them for a while.
Publishers actually print things beyond the Bible these days; consider reading one.
You can have whatever opinion you want about the way you have sex (and believe me, we have thoughts on yours, too) - but none of us has any control who we are attracted to.
The pious would be wise not to conflate pedophilia with being gay, given the Church's criminal record.
I think it is so fucking funny that Midwesterners are constantly picked on by New Yorkers as being yokels, and yet Iowa has a more progressive stance on gay marriage. Maybe if people in this city (and state) would take their snobby heads out of their puckered asses, they would be able to get this bill passed by electing the right people.
no silly, iowa certainly does NOT have a more progressive stance than NY. one was passed by Iowa judges, the other declined by NY politicians. HUGE difference.
actually the nyc city courts ruled in favor of marriage equality but Bloomberg appeal and overturned the verdict
Why is this issue even being put to votes, its needs to be considered by the courts and ruled on in my opinion. If we left it up to states to vote on and decide civil rights issues like this we would still have slavery.
who cares about this, really?...marriage is for idiots. people who base thier identity on who they have sex with are idiots. people who think this is some great civil cause are idiots.
No one needs to be married. there is nothing it gives you that you dont already have. All you do is introduce the civil govt into your personal relationship. all these crocidile tears, bo-hoo, I cant get married, h8, love, its just stupid.
There are tax, insurance, financial issues that come into playing with marriage that you do not get as two single people "living together" which is really what its about, not the idea that gays can have a dream wedding the same as heteros
http://people.howstuffworks.com/marriage1.htm
How's it looking under that bridge?
I hear ya, good buddy.
While we're at it, why do black people complain so much about discrimination? It's not like slaving away in an office cube is that much fun. I mean, I'd rather be playing basketball and smoking weed on my stoop all day you know? You have to pay all those taxes, wear uncomfortable clothes, and have you guys even seen movies like Revolutionary Road? The suburbs are brutal man, way worse than any prison system. We're really doing them a favor.
I don't really see why Palestinians are so upset either - what do they need their own country for anyways? I mean, you have to defend it, worry about terrorism, go to all those boring UN meetings, get a government together, who needs it! I say let someone else handle all that. The Jews are real suckers for doing all the grunt work I think.
And come to think of it, why don't people w/ Aids and Cancer and stuff just get over it? Being healthy sucks - you have to maintain your diet, go to the gym, and constantly wash your hands, I mean, it's a pretty massive pain and expense when you think of it. And then you have to put up with all these sob stories on the news! I just want to smack these people and be like, dude! You can eat cake and sit on your ass and watch TV all you want! You're gonna die soon anyway, it's practically a blessing, you know?
No one needs any of this stuff, so we might as well mandate that they CAN'T have it, don't you think? Don't even get me started on the whole ability to decide thing...
What happened to separation between Church and State?
I can't understand the selfish people who are against this bill. How does someone else's marriage hurt you or marriage in general?
Civil rights are not determined by popular opinion. Just first-- lets get that out of the way.
Second, what, blame Patterson? All I heard was that guy supporting this bill. Why blame him?
He wasn't just supporting the bill. It's his bill! He introduced it in April. He pushed the issue knowing full well that it didn't have the votes then didn't put any pressure on the senators to vote for it. It's just "Here it is and I wash my hands of it. Do what you will." This was bad politicking from a terrible politician. He just has no idea how to play the game, which is why he keeps losing.
You can blame Paterson, or Quinn or anyone else that you want to. The truth is, it was those 38 Senators who voted no. Paterson did not vote "no." Quinn did not vote "no." Addabbo and 37 other Senators - 8 Democrats and 30 Republicans - voted "No."
I plan on targeting all 8 Democratic cowards on my blog.
I started with Addabbo. This man grabbed thousands in glbt dollars during his campaign. He then decided to base his vote...not on conscience...not on what is right...but how many people chose to lobby him during the process. He even had the audacity to lay his decision on 2 people he spoke to in a library.
Gay dollars will be used to defeat him in his next primary. A lot of gay dollars.
For info on his glbt donors, his lame rationale for deciding civil rights issues, and his contact info (including facebook link):
http://www.leliorisen.blogspot.com
The 8 Senate Democrats who voted against gay marriage should be commended for representing their constituents, instead of vocal, well-funded outsiders.
As for the LGBT community, if your argument is about receiving the same spousal and tax benefits as straight married couples, it's called civil union.
And a civil union bill would have easily passed in Albany, but the "marriage equality" movement doesn't know how to compromise. You want all-or-nothing? Well you got nothing.
they're not doing the majority of their constituents any good by discriminating against the minority of their constituents. there are gay people in every senate district, you know.
it's not a senator's job to blindly follow the will of the people in his geographic district. it's his job to be a leader. and in government, leadership shouldn't mean subverting equality just to keep yourself in your position. unfortunately in many cases it does.
i agree and disagree regarding the approach to marriage equality. civil unions are not a long term solution for anyone -- civil marriages for straights and civil unions for gays is by definition "separate but equal" which everyone knows is unconstitutional. but it gets worse -- civil unions don't afford the same rights and responsibilities of marriage and therefore they really would be "separate and unequal".
How about government gets out of marriage all together. We can keep the laws on age of consent and such, but why do we even need government marriage?
Treat us all equally, we pick our next of kin if we don't like the current set-up, we decide who gets our stuff if we die, we decide who makes decisions for us when we can't. Married or not shouldn't effect taxes and such.
Yea Libertarianism!