Words Out Of New York

UPDATE: Kyle, from OutLeft, offers up the email addresses for Governor Paterson, and Senators Duane, Hassell-Thompson and Savino so we can write to them and thank them for understanding that equality should not fail:
Governor Paterson HERE.
Senator Duane at: duane@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Hassell-Thompson at: hassellt@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Savino at: savino@senate.state.ny.us
Drop them an email and thank them for doing the right thing.

I always talk about the anger I feel when marriage equality fails, and how we need to be more active, not sit back and regroup for a few years. I've always said, take your money out of the DNC and give to people who truly, actively, support the LGBT community, or to groups that do the same.

Here are a few such politicians who stand by us, so we need to stand by them. They are but a few of the many politicians who understand that this is not about anything other than equal treatment, equal rights for all Americans.


New York Governor David Paterson:

“It is always darkest before the dawn. The darkest day in the history of the American civil rights movement was in 1857 when the Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott, making slavery legal north of the 36th parallel. That was the darkest day for the abolitionists. But when we look back in history, we forget that this was only five years before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in September of 1862.

I understand the anger; I understand the frustration; I understand the feeling of betrayal; and I understand the profound disappointment of those who came to Albany today thinking they could get married tomorrow. But I am also here to tell you that we are not back to square one.

Governors don’t come to the Senate floor after losing a vote. This one does, because this is a fight that is bigger than one legislative vote. This is a civil rights issue. Marriage equality is as important as the emancipation of any group from oppression and the granting of equal rights to any community.

I believe in my heart that if people had voted their consciences today, we would be celebrating marriage equality tonight. That did not happen. As disappointed as we are today, let’s get up tomorrow and redouble our efforts. We are going to lay the foundation to make people feel comfortable to vote their conscience and not fear political backlash.

Now we know who we have to talk to. We are going to quash the intimidation; we are going to alleviate the pressure; we are going to move this issue back to the floor of the Senate and we are going to have marriage equality in New York State and equal rights for everybody.”

Senator Tom Duane, sponsor of the marriage equlaity bill:

"I wasn't expected to be betrayed, and so I have some justified anger. But it's just going to propel me to - I don't want to say redouble my efforts, because my efforts have been pretty strong - but I'm not going to let up. I'm angry. I'm disappointed. I am let down. I'm betrayed. But I am not going away...Unfortunately, I think there was a contagious lack of backbone that occurred here today. And I’m angry about that and sad about that, but it was contagious. Similarly, the opposite would have meant far more votes than anyone had expected but unfortunately that wasn’t the way it went today."

And we also have Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who surprised many with her Yes vote. Listen to her speak; pay close attention to the last minute when she says she was not elected to be the moral arbiter for her constituents, but that she was elected to represent them; listen as she says she is going against the teachings of her mother,, her sister, her church to do what's right.
One of my new heroes....Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson.

And to add one more to the mix, here's Senator Diane Savino, a Roman Catholic.....you read that right.....who understands what a civil rights issue is, and how gay marriage does nothing to traditional marriage; straight folks have been screwing that up for eons all on their own: