NY celebrates one year anniversary of same-sex marriages

No locusts in sight. From AP:

One year ago, New York became the largest and most influential state where gay marriage is legal, raising supporters' hopes that it would boost national momentum and pump money into the state with a flurry of weddings from Manhattan to Niagara Falls.

As the anniversary nears Tuesday, the law's effects are noticeable if hard to measure.
Thousands of same-sex couples have wed across New York, but it's unclear just how many, partly because marriage applicants aren't required to identify themselves by gender. The wedding business is up, but some planners in New York City say it's not booming.

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Signorile wonders if Comcast will end the bigotry of the NY St. Patrick's Day Parade

Mike Signorile wonders if Comcast will continue to profit from the bigoted St. Patrick's Day parade in New York:

It's 2012, and in New York State gays and lesbians have full civil rights, including marriage equality. Gays are no longer banned in the U.S. military. But they are still banned from Fifth Avenue's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in an embarrassing throwback for everyone involved.

It's frankly appalling that NBC, and now its parent company Comcast, still sells the broadcast rights (on its local affiliate, WNBC) to the intolerant bunch that runs the parade -- in 2007, that amount was $300,000-- and then helps the organizers sell advertising to major companies. More than that, one of NBC's top executives -- a man who aids the organizers in getting those ad dollars -- was chosen as this year's Grand Marshall.

As David Mixner notes, the Prime Minister of Ireland as well as most New York politicians who support equality won't march in the parade because of this bigotry. Last year, the Irish Foreign Minister condemned the parade. But Francis X. Comerford, Chief Revenue Officer and President of Commercial Operations for the NBC Owned Television Stations, has no problem leading the parade as Grand Marshall.

Comcast really needs to think this through. It's 2012 for Christ sakes.

Ireland, which is 87% Catholic, is more advanced on gay issues than the United States is. These old Irish guys who run the parade are an embarrassment to Irish people everywhere (including me and my family.) Comcast really doesn't need to cavort with these haters.

Remember, last year Comcast let the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce support that anti-LGBT legislation, which overturned Nashville's non-discrimination ordinance. Here's the statement the company sent us during that debacle:

“At Comcast, we believe it's simple: discrimination is wrong. Our policy of non-discrimination provides the same protections to all our employees, whether in Tennessee or any other state. Consistent with that, we don't support Tennessee SB632/HB600. Comcast agrees with the NGLCC, ‘No one should be judged by his or her sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace. In this delicate economic climate, diminishing the rights of LGBT people sends the wrong signal across Tennessee and around the country.’"

Okay. Then, aiding and abetting the hatred from the organizers of the NY parade should be off the table, too.

Mike's concludes:

The truth is, most LGBT activists weren't focused on the St. Patrick's Day Parade all these years, with bigger fish to fry. But many are now looking at this as unfinished business -- as I said, an embarrassment in a state where we now have marriage rights -- and they are also seeing Comcast as a company that is very vulnerable. If Comcast doesn't want a battle on its hands -- a battle it will ultimately lose, after much p.r. erosion -- it will make sure that March 18, 2012 is the beginning of the end of the ban on gays in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Then we can say Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh and mean it. Read the rest of this post...

Gay money pouring into GOP coffers in NY as thanks for marriage, but not Dems

It's an interesting conundrum.  Were the four Republicans who crossed party lines the only heroes, or only the biggest?  But they seem to be getting the lion's share of donations from gays and our allies.  What about the Dems? GayCityNews:

The four Republican New York state senators who voted for same-sex marriage last June are reaping a windfall from gay, liberal, and some conservative donors who support marriage equality, but virtually none of that money is flowing to the Democrats who provided the overwhelming majority of the votes for the bill — including those who, like the GOP supporters, switched their votes to yes or who live in highly contested districts.

What’s more, $100,000 of the money given to these four Republicans has already been passed through by them to the New York Senate Republican Campaign Committee to support anti-gay senators and help preserve the one-vote Republican majority.

Among the GOP senators, Roy McDonald of Saratoga pulled in $447,000 since voting for marriage equality, “27 times more than he had raised in the same period in 2009,” according to the New York Times. Similar amounts were donated to Republicans Mark Grisanti of Buffalo ($325,000), James Alesi of East Rochester ($400,000), and Stephen Saland of Poughkeepsie ($425,000).

The Times did not note that Democrats are getting stiffed. Democrat Senator Joe Addabbo, who represents conservative Howard Beach and switched his vote from no to yes, raised just 36,000 in the same period. Shirley Huntley of Jamaica, Queens, who also made a crucial switch to yes despite her strong religious misgivings about same-sex marriage, raised $7,500.

Read the rest of this post...

Gay money flowing to Andrew Cuomo after gay marriage victory in NY

Good things come to those who earnestly win us our rights. Especially on marriage, it would seem. Read the rest of this post...

NOM targeting NY state legislators who voted for marriage equality

We should find out how we can help them out. I'll ask Joe, as he has political friends iN NY. Read the rest of this post...

NY’s Attorney General supports Edie Windsor‘s challenge to DOMA

Now that same-sex marriages are legal in New York, New Yorkers who get married are facing discrimination from the federal government via DOMA. Today, the Attorney General of New York made it clear that DOMA has to go. Eric Schneiderman's office filed an amicus brief in support of Edie Windsor's motion for summary judgment in her DOMA case.

From the press release:

In papers filed in the case of Windsor v. United States, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today challenged the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), which redefined marriage for federal purposes to exclude same-sex unions that are valid under state law. The papers—filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York— ask the federal court to accept the Attorney General’s friend-of-the-court brief, which argues that DOMA violates same-sex couples’ right to equal protection under the law as required by the U.S. Constitution. This legal action, which follows Attorney General Schneiderman's pledge last summer to join the court battle over DOMA, follows the historic enactment of the Marriage Equality Act of 2011.

“The federal Defense of Marriage Act clearly violates the principle of equal justice under law as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and improperly intrudes on the traditional role of states in defining marriage,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “The State of New York has long recognized out-of-state, same-sex marriages and the enactment of the Marriage Equality Act further cements our state’s position on this critical civil rights issue. My office will fight every day to defend the fundamental guarantee of equal protection under law for all New Yorkers.”

Schneiderman filed the papers in federal court in support of the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment in the case of Windsor v. United States. The plaintiff, Edie Windsor, was married in Canada in 2007 to her partner, Thea Spyer, who died two years later.

Thank you, Eric Schneiderman. The brief is here.

And, this is how the "Summary of Argument" in the brief begins:

By refusing to recognize for federal purposes marriages that are valid under state law, DOMA intrudes on matters historically within the control of the States, and undermines and denigrates New York’s law designed to ensure equality of same-sex and different-sex married couples. Thus DOMA threatens basic principles of federalism. Moreover, it classifies and determines access to rights, benefits, and protections based on sexual orientation, and also based on sex.

For each of these reasons, considered separately or together, DOMA should be subjected to heightened scrutiny under the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment, and it cannot withstand such scrutiny.

Take that John Boehner and Paul Clement. They must be really wracking up some big-time (taxpayer funded) legal fees defending DOMA.

Good to have the NY AG on the same team as Edie, Roberta Kaplan and the ACLU. Read the rest of this post...

The Daily Show on NY’s Wedding Day: "Runaway Pride"

The Daily Show was on the scene at New York's City Hall for the first marriages. Last night, the Daily Show ran its coverage of the big day.

The Daily Show - Runaway Pride
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

We've been providing a lot of coverage of the NY marriage stories. I think it's one of the only good news stories circulating these days.

Another great video was produced by the BBC. I can't embed it, but it's worth a watch here. Read the rest of this post...

Extreme homophobes file lawsuit against New York marriage law

In the post below, I noted that none of the New York Congressional Republicans are sponsors of DOMA repeal. Well, they now have a choice: They can start pushing for equality or they can side with that extremely homophobic Rev. Jason McGuire, who filed a lawsuit against the new marriage law today.

Scott Wooledge has more at DailyKos:

While Fred Phelps and the National Organization for Marriage took to the streets of Manhattan to stamp their feet in their sour grapes, others are hoping actvists judges will overturn the will of New York's duly elected officials.

Plaintiffs are the group, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, who did everything possible to stop it before passage. Now, they are determined to keep fighting.

Plaintiffs are represented by the Liberty Counsel, a group that is dedicated to "restoring the culture by advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the family," and have filed a lawsuit claiming the the law was passed through an invalid process.

Now, I think this quote from Governor's office sums up the lawsuit:

Gov. Cuomo's spokesman Josh Vlasto blasted the lawsuit as baseless. "The plaintiffs lack a basic understanding of the laws of the state of New York. The suit is without merit.”

But, this does pose a dilemma for the anti-gay side. Yesterday, as Jeremy Hooper documented, NOM got melded together with Westboro. They're in synch. And, McGuire has become one of the leading anti-gay voices in New York. He is way, way out there -- and is defining the anti-gay opposition in New York. Read more about McGuire at Good As You. Jeremy Hooper has been tracking his hateful speech.

So, New York Republicans can side with McGuire, or they can get on the right side of history.

Do Representatives Richard Hanna and Nan Hayworth really want to be viewed as allies of McGuire, NOM and Westboro? Read the rest of this post...

Nadler, Gillibrand want federal equality for their constituents

Yesterday, two actual fierce advocates, Rep. Jerry Nadler and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, issued a joint statement calling on Congress to act on DOMA repeal. Now, that their same-sex couples can be legally married in New York, they're facing discrimination by the federal government:

“Today marks the first day that gay and lesbian New Yorkers can legally marry and, for the first time, same-sex couples are now equal in the eyes of State law,” said Congressman Nadler. “We should savor this historic moment, but there is still work to be done. Through DOMA, the federal government is actively discriminating against legally married same-sex couples – New Yorkers now among them – and refusing to recognize their marriages. This unjust and counterproductive law forces married gay and lesbian couples to endure dramatic financial and legal hardship, and this is utterly indefensible.”

“New York is sending a powerful message to the rest of the nation today as we once again lead the way for equal rights,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The right to get married and start a family is a basic, human right that must be shared by all Americans. Every loving, committed couple in America deserves this right. And no politician should stand in the way of this fact. But as hundreds of loving, committed couples celebrate this historic day by finally being able to marry the person they love, the fact remains that the federal Defense of Marriage Act will continue to discriminate against these loving committed couples. The work for full marriage equality is not done. If Democrats and Republicans can come together to do what’s right in New York, I know we can do the same in Congress to do what’s right for all of America. Now is the time to repeal this corrosive policy.”

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about DOMA repeal and the New York Congressional Delegation. I can report that all the House Democrats are cosponsors of Nadler's bill, H.R. 1116, the Respect for Marriage Act. Chuck Schumer is a cosponsor of the Senate bill, S. 598.

Not one New York GOPer is on board. Actually, not one GOPer is on either the House or Senate repeal bills. But, the New York bill passed with bipartisan support -- and has broad support from the voters of New York. DOMA directly discriminates against New Yorkers now.

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-25): 202-225-3701

Rep. Chris Gibson (R-20): 202-225-5614

Rep. Michael Grimm (R-13): 202-225-3371

Rep. Richard Hanna (R-24): 202-225-3665

Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-19): 202-225-5441

Rep. Peter King (R-3): 202-225-7896

Rep. Tom Reed (R-29): 202-225-3161

Representatives Richard Hanna and Nan Hayworth already outed themselves as potential supporters when they voted against that whack job Virginia Foxx's idiotic, homophobic DOMA amendment earlier this month. Maybe now, Hanna, Hayworth and the rest will stand up for the rights of their constituents -- even the gays ones. Read the rest of this post...

"A beaming mother from Brooklyn" watched both her son and daughter get married

I know we posted a lot of New York wedding stories yesterday, but we don't get days like this very often. There are so many great stories to tell.

Check out this one from Julie Bolcer:

The wedding party stood out even by the joyous standards of New York on the first day of the new marriage equality law. A beaming mother from Brooklyn, some relatives from the Midwest, and a small entourage of other supporters watched as two grooms and brides took photos against a City Hall backdrop before their turn at the bustling counter of the New York City Clerk’s office in Manhattan.

“This is a double same-sex sibling wedding,” explained Eric Bacolas, who planned to marry his partner Michael Bonomo early in the afternoon. His sister Elise Bacolas would also marry her partner, Jenna Glazer. Both couples entered a public lottery and secured spots to be among the 659 couples that received service throughout the five boroughs on Sunday.

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Freddy and Marcos got married today

Thanks to Such Is Life for capturing the video:
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"To hear a judge say, ’By the laws of our state’? It sent a chill up my spine"

The NY Times:

From New York City to Niagara Falls, N.Y., hundreds of gay and lesbian couples across the state began marrying on Sunday — the first taking their vows just after midnight — in the culmination of a long battle in the Legislature and a new milestone for gay rights advocates seeking to legalize same-sex marriage across the nation.

Outside the city clerk’s office in Lower Manhattan, an orderly crowd had gathered in sweltering temperatures alongside metal police barriers hours before the doors opened around 8:45 a.m., prompting a cheer. At least one veil was in evidence.

Phyllis Siegel, 76, and Connie Kopelov, 84, who have been together in Manhattan for 23 years, were the first couple in, receiving a waiver from the rule requiring 24 hours between a license and a ceremony. They were ushered right into the chapel. Ms. Kopelov used a gray walker anchored by two tennis balls as they were married by the city clerk, Michael McSweeney.

As Mr. McSweeney declared to the couple, “I now pronounce you married,” Ms. Siegel tenderly held Ms. Kopelov’s head and kissed her on the left cheek. “I am breathless,” said Ms. Siegel.

Check out the video of Phyllis and Connie in the post below. It's so heartwarming.

I think a lot of people who watch the video will get the same sensation as Chris Quinn:

The City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, who is openly gay, witnessed the first marriages in Manhattan. “To hear a judge say, ‘By the laws of our state’? It sent a chill up my spine,” Ms. Quinn said.

Read the rest of this post...

Those 823 Marriages are underway in the Big Apple

Today, in NYC, 823 couples are scheduled to get married. There had been so many requests that Mayor Bloomberg instituted a lottery system, capped at 764. But, all of the 823 couples who applied for the lottery were told they could marry today. And, those marriages are underway.

Freedom to Marry's Michael Crawford is tweeting, including some great photos, from the scene in at City Hall Manhattan.

CNN has video of one of the first weddings in NYC. Watch Phyllis Siegal, 77, and Connie Kopelov, 85 get married. Seriously, watch:

Here's video of the first marriage in Brooklyn, between Michael Furey and Bienvenido Amagna, via Steven Thrasher from the Village Voice, who tweeted:

Here's my (shaky) video of the 1st ever #ssm in Brooklyn. Note thr judge almost crying

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In Albany, "City Hall was a hub of celebration"

Tim wrote about the marriages in Niagara Falls below. Albany also had midnight mariages:

City Hall was a hub of celebration Sunday morning as gay and lesbian couples from around the Capital Region became among the first in the state to wed under New York's historic same-sex marriage law.

The Common Council chambers broke into applause when Al Martino and Harold Lohner were married at 12:16 a.m. State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Teresi performed city's first public ceremony, while Mayor Jerry Jennings performed a private ceremony for another couple in his chambers.

David Janulis and Don Grandchamp of Glenmont were the second couple to marry, completing their vows at 12:23 a.m.

Read the rest of this post...

In Niagara Falls, some gay and lesbian couples just couldn’t wait!

As Joe posted, after the grueling battle to marry, some couples were not willing to wait until later this morning to get married! I wanted to include a few more fun details about one of the happy couples here:

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Gay-rights activists Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd were legally married the very first moment they could be during a midnight ceremony at Niagara Falls that ushered in same-sex marriage in the state and marked a pivotal moment in the national drive for recognition.

With a rainbow-lit Niagara Falls as a backdrop early Sunday, Lambert, 54, and Rudd, 53, were among the first gay couples to tie the knot with the blessing of the state, which last month became the sixth and largest to sanction gay marriage. Couples in Albany, Hudson and Long Island also exchanged vows just after midnight Saturday, kicking off what was expected to be a Sunday packed with weddings.

Of course, there were plenty of others who had the 24 hour waiting period waived and got married one minute after midnight. Along with the joy and relief experienced by our LGBT community to finally have the right to marry in New York, our enemies never sleep and were planning protests around the state and at the state capitol on Sunday. Can't they just be happy for two people in love and willing to commit their lives to one another? (Rhetorical question to those who want to deny us equal rights in New York who are sucking lemons.)

Advocates and opponents, many of whom reject same-sex marriage on religious grounds, said the New York vote, propelled by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, would invigorate both sides.

Protests were planned around the state for Sunday, including at the state Capitol.

You had better believe it has invigorated our side and we will not take this victory for granted! This morning in LGBT history has dawned at 12:01 am and will be a glorious day in the history of LGBT rights in this country.

A little celebration with Judy Garland is in order.

Read the rest of this post...

It’s Wedding Day in New York!

Weddings can now begin in New York. This will be considered the tipping point in the quest for equality.

It's going to be a great day. Thousands of same-sex couples will take their vows and be legally wed by the State of New York. We'll provide updates throughout the day.

Some couples will be getting married right at midnight. Via the NY Times:

The first marriages were scheduled to take place just after midnight in Niagara Falls, where officials planned to illuminate the famous cascade in the colors of a rainbow, and in Albany, where an eager mayor planned to marry eight gay couples.

In New York City, 823 couples signed up in advance to get marriage licenses on Sunday, and many of those couples were expected to marry minutes later in city clerk’s offices across the five boroughs. Officials from more than a dozen cities and towns from Buffalo to Brookhaven said they would open their offices to issue marriage licenses on Sunday, and more than 100 judges across the state have volunteered to officiate at the couples’ weddings on the spot.

On Friday, I was on the Hill for a blogger summmit. Most of the discussion was about the debt debacle. But, I talked to the two New Yorker members who were there, Reps. Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, about what's happening today. Here are their messages:


Read the rest of this post...

NOM bigots, with the support of Diaz bigot, to protest gay weddings on Monday

Maybe they can pair up with Fred Phelps and save money, Read the rest of this post...

With record breaking demand, NYC Mayor sets cap on number of July 24 weddings

Maggie and Brian keep wailing that same-sex couples are destroying marriage. In New York, they're reviving it -- in record breaking numbers. So many marriages are expected on July 24th in NYC that the Mayor has instituted a lottery system with a cap:

Demand for same-sex marriage in New York is so great that the city has decided to cap at 764 the number of couples who can be wed at clerks’ offices on Sunday, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said on Tuesday.

Mr. Bloomberg said the city would hold a lottery to determine which couples, gay or straight, will be allowed to marry at the five borough clerks’ offices. He said the 764 marriages would be the highest number ever performed by the city in a single day.

The city said it was imposing the cap in an effort to avoid chaos on Sunday. The clerk’s office has already received 2,661 applications for licenses since it started accepting online applications from same-sex couples. City officials estimated that 1,728 of those applications were from same-sex couples. Most couples do not apply online for licenses before showing up at a clerk’s office, so the number seeking to marry on Sunday would probably be much higher.

I feel bad for the couples who can't marry on Sunday. But, they can still get married legally next week, which is the important thing. Read the rest of this post...

Yes, It really happened: New York approved same-sex marriage and it’s been signed into law

I could barely sleep last night, but, for some reason, still feel just great this morning. A dose of equality really helps. My NY Times and Washington Post headlined the big news from New York.

The Governor signed the legislation last night. It takes effect 30 days from that, so we're looking at July 24th.

There's a really compelling excerpt in the print edition of the NYT that's not in the online version:

On Friday night, as the Senate voted, a crowd jammed into the Stonewall Inn, where televisions were tuned to the Senate hours before the vote began. Danny Garvin, 62, said he had been at the bar on the night of the riot, and came back to watch the Senate debate on Friday. On the streets where police beat gay men in 1969, on Friday crowds cheered, as police quietly stood watch.
Senator Mark Grisanti:

Talk about the arc of history bending right before one's eyes.

Also, here's the statement of Senator Grisanti. Hopefully, other politicians will watch it -- and learn from it:

There are a lot of groups scrambling for credit now. Have at it. But, there are a lot of unsung heroes, people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, cut through the BS and helped secure this win. Those are the people I want to thank -- and thank profusely. Read the rest of this post...

Victory in New York!!! Marriage passed in the State Senate tonight: 33 - 29

UPDATE @ 12:15 AM: And, yep, the Governor signed the bill at 11;55 PM on Friday, June 24, 2011. Marriages begin on July 24, 2011.

Also, NOM Is in major meltdown mode. Alvin McEwen reports they're comparing their loss in New York to the betrayal of Jesus. Blasphemers.
___________________
UPDATE: Watch Governor Cuomo discuss this great win (11:15 PM ET): The Governor's presser is over, so I removed the embed. He was very eloquent and did say that he'd sign the bill tonight, so it takes effect in 30 days. Check out the photos and video from Stonewall at the bottom of the post.
____________________
The State Senate just approved the marriage equality legislation by a vote of 33 - 29. Same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York 30 days after Governor Cuomo signs the bill into law.

We've all been on the losing side too many times. Winning is way, way, way more fun.

The trend line is moving in the right direction. This was a huge step forward. HUGE!

Congrats -- and thanks -- to all those who made it happen.

The arc of moral justice is long, but tonight in Albany, it bent a little more towards justice.

UPDATE: Here's the statement from our friend -- and a hero of the marriage debate, Danny O'Donnell:

"Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions.” Today, the New York State Legislature has affirmed the truth of that fundamental principle with the passage of the Marriage Equality Act."

"This day is a momentous one, not only for the thousands of same-sex couples across our state who find themselves suddenly on the cusp equality, now awaiting only one person's signature before being able to marry, but for all New Yorkers who have recognized and fought against legalized discrimination. I have been with my partner John for over 30 years, and, at long last, the state where we were both born, raised, and have lived our adult lives has agreed that all New Yorkers deserve Marriage Equality in the eyes of the law."

"Speaker Silver and my courageous colleagues in the Assembly who have staunchly supported this bill since 2007, when we became only the third legislative body nationwide to approve same-sex marriage without a court order, deserve immense praise for their continued and repeated votes for Marriage Equality. The State Senators who possessed the courage and conviction today to vote for my equality receive my profound thanks for taking this bold step forward. And, Governor Cuomo, who has been a resolute and powerful ally in this fight since long before the beginning of his term this past January, cannot be thanked enough for his continued support in this battle for justice."

"I am proud to have played a central role in this crucial moment for our state. Once Marriage Equality is signed into law, our state will be the most populous in the entire nation with these rights. I hope that with this prominence, our great state will shine as a beacon of equality and lead other states from the darkness of injustice. I will never forget this day."

UPDATE: tonight, New Yorkers are gathering in front of the Stonewall Inn to celebrate a victory that seemed inconceivable just a couple years ago. Paul Yandura sent some photos.



And some video:
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