Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyDecember 2nd, 2009
The New York Senate has finally voted on whether to treat all citizens equally and has voted to continue discrimination. The vote was 24 – 38. Those voting against equality will be listed as soon as the breakout is available.
We have much work to do – including a strong effort to remove from office those who have endorsed discrimination and proven themselves to be enemies of equality.
On a personal note, considering the way in which race has been played as a factor in campaigns to deny rights to gay Americans, I was greatly heartened by the number of African American legislators who rose to make impassioned appeals in favor of this bill and to do so in terms of civil rights.
UPDATE: Elizabeth Benjamin has the list
The final vote was 24-38. Seven Democrats voted “no” – Addabbo, Aubertine, Huntley, C. Kruger, Monserrate, Onorato, Stachowski – while not a single Republican voted “yes.”
(It was eight Democrats – Diaz also voted “no”)
We now know those Senators who find civil equality to be in opposition to either their ideals or their self interests. Those who believe that some citizens are entitled to special rights that are to be denied to others are obstacles to freedom and enemies to the principles behind American society. They do not deserve to be representatives.
Where possible, our community needs to focus its energy, time, and money in defeating all of the Republican State Senators and the seven Democratic State Senators and replace them with lovers of freedom and equality of whatever party.
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Elliot in NY
December 2nd, 2009
I just called my senator’s office to give him my piece. I’m not sure whether or not the secretary will just throw my message in the garbage or not, but I hope he gets it.
Matt
December 2nd, 2009
It’s EIGHT Democratic state senators, not seven. Diaz also voted no. Elizabeth Benjamin’s list is wrong.
Jack
December 2nd, 2009
I think we can assume that marriage equality in deader than a door nail in New Jersey now, too.
johnathan
December 2nd, 2009
And to think if the Democratic senators had the courage to yes, New York would have passed this bill, 32-30.
Burr
December 2nd, 2009
Now we know who’s getting sh*tcanned.
Philip
December 2nd, 2009
Damn Them !!!
CB
December 2nd, 2009
Time to draw the line. No Republican’s voted for equality, and 8 Democrats voted AGAINST equality:
•Joseph Addabbo (D) — NO
•Darrel Aubertine (D) — NO
•Ruben Diaz (D) — NO
•Shirley Huntley (D) — NO
•Carl Kruger (D) — NO
•Hiram Monserrate (D) — NO
•George Onorato (D) — NO
•William Stachowski (D) — NO
It is time to no longer support the Democrat Party as a whole, but support individuals.
Those on our side:
•Eric Adams (D) — YES
•Neil Breslin (D) — YES
•Martin Malave Dilan (D) — YES
•Tom Duane (D) — YES
•Pedro Espada (D) — YES
•Brian Foley (D) — YES
•Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D) — YES
•Craig Johnson (D) — YES
•Jeffrey Klein (D) — YES
•Liz Krueger (D) — YES
•Velmanette Montgomery (D) — YES
•Suzi Oppenheimer (D) — YES
•Kevin Parker (D) — YES
•Bill Perkins (D) — YES
•John Sampson (D) — YES
•Diane Savino (D) — YES
•Eric Schneiderman (D) — YES
•Jose Serrano (D) — YES
•Malcolm Smith (D) — YES
•Daniel Squadron (D) — YES
•Toby Ann Stavisky (D) — YES
•Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) — YES
•Antoine Thompson (D) — YES
•David Valesky (D) — YES
Dan
December 2nd, 2009
This shows a real failure by the gay state org, ESPA. That they could lose 25% of the Dem vote and get 0% support from Repubs shows a dramatic failure to work this chamber.
I note that we won NH with a unified Dem caucus and some Republicans, even though that state is much more conservative than NY. We also were able to win VT with a 2/3 majority veto override vote by having a unified Dem caucus and some GOP help. Ditto for the initial legislative victory in ME.
So why can’t the sophisticated monied NYS operation manage what gay orgs in 3 other states have managed? And one other thing: NYers could have won civil unions with hefty majorities by now. But ESPA’s “everything now or else nothing” approach has prevented that. Now that we know the votes will not be there for full equality for 4-8 years, why not get CUs as an interim measure to ease the way to full equality?
John
December 2nd, 2009
I think these votes are important. Democrats control Congress and some of these state houses. They don’t want these votes, because they don’t want the anti-gay bigots in their party identified. I think that they can’t get away with these delays anymore. Gay voters are being soured on all Democrats when no action is taken.
I think that we are going to have more of these votes at the state and federal level. It is going to highlight who our friends are and who we will target for removal. The most important message for gay friendly Democrats to get from this NY votes is that they will lose gay support if they continue to cover for their anti-gay colleagues by avoiding these votes altogether.
lurker
December 2nd, 2009
From the NYT:
“Certainly this is an emotional issue and an important issue for many New Yorkers,†said Senator Tom Libous, the deputy Republican leader. “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.”
So the argument has gone from “more than half of people don’t want ssm legalized” to “the majority (read: most of us straights) don’t really care about you queers, so we’re not going to give you any rights”. Bigotry will out . . . whatever the rationalization.
Robert in San Diego
December 3rd, 2009
Let’s be real and lets face reality, though we all might be angry and these senators and and we all will say that we are going to get them unelected, nothing is going to happen to them. We’re gay, they are straight, there is a reason why they voted no, so they can stay in office. I’m from California, I’m pretty use to loosing the vote at this point, after prop 22 in 2000, prop 8 last year and prop whatever it will be in 2010. I’m not even sure why we are trying anytime soon, we need to regroup and wait a couple of years till more old people die and young ones take their place.
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