OntheWilderSide

2011 Update: Shortly after 10:30pm EST on June 24th, the New York State Senate passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage! This time, only one Democrat voted against it. Story at onthewilderside: here.

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Original, 2009 post:

(excerpt from) Time Union
Gay rites still illegal
Same-sex marriage bill weighed for the first time in the state Senate but fails by 14 votes
By IRENE JAY LIU / Thursday, December 3, 2009

ALBANY — The state Senate has voted 38-24 to reject a bill to legalize gay marriage in the Empire State…

Every one of the Senate’s 30 Republican members voted against the bill, as well as eight Democrats — Sens. Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx; Joseph Addabbo, Shirley Huntley, Hiram Monserrate and George Onorato of Queens; Carl Kruger of Brooklyn; Darrel Aubertine of the North Country; and William Stachowski of Buffalo…

KW: Please note that Hiram Monserrate is the Democrat who helped with the NY State Senate Coup. And, Monserrate is the one who was said to have committed domestic violence against his girlfriend, and was convicted of misdemeanor assault. I hope that even Democrats have the good sense to get rid of him in the primary and/or general election.

I couldn’t even sort out the details, but the same-sex marriage issue was a big part of the wheelings and dealings with the NY State Senate coup earlier this year. There is a background story about it at the Time Union: here. Needing the support of Democratic elected officials on the same-sex marriage issue was also a reason that various non-profit and advocacy groups had given the Green Party as to why they endorsed Democrats–and not Green Party candidates who are clearly stronger on the issue–in previous NY State races.
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To recap…

(In the year 2009…)

The elected officials in the NY State Senate who voted AGAINST same-sex marriage were:

Every Republican NY State Senator
Ruben Diaz Sr. (Democrat)
Joseph Addabbo (Democrat)
Shirley Huntley (Democrat)
Hiram Monserrate (Democrat)
George Onorato (Democrat)
Carl Kruger (Democrat)
Darrel Aubertine (Democrat)
William Stachowski (Democrat)

Please also note that the Green Party supports making same-sex marriage legal. Former Green Party Mayor of New Paltz Jason West, and former Green Party Deputy Mayor of New Paltz Rebecca Rotzler both performed same-sex marriage ceremonies, and advocated for fairness in the matter.

The 2006 Green Party Governor candidate, Malachy McCourt, had this to say on same-sex marriage:

In times of conflict, the state tells us we can hate various enemies and use vicious perjorative terms to describe them, ie: Japs, Nips, Krauts, Huns, Wops, Guineas. Now, the courts are telling us who we may love and contract with on our own private terms.

There is no record of a marriage contract between Adam And Eve or Mr. and Mrs. Lot of Sodom and Gommorra fame. So, we don’t know if having children is their prime motive in hanging out together, or did they just like each other’s company with a bit of sex thrown in for comfort on a cold night?

In any case its not the state’s business who we love and marry, so long as its two consenting adults, contracting to spend time with each other, as long as they want,  without nine robed justices crowded into the bedroom, noting the action and passing  judgement on why they love each other, and how they express it. Let the people love. – Malachy McCourt

Filed under: green, Green Party, New York State Politics, News, politics, progressive politics Tagged: | Carl Kruger, Darrel Aubertine, Gay Marriage, George Onorato, Green Party, Hiram Monserrate, Joseph Addabbo, lgbt, malachy mccourt, NY State Senate, Ruben Diaz, Same-Sex Marriage, Shirley Huntley, William Stachowski