NY same-sex marriage foes appear to have few options -- Executi...

pretty basic human rights issue here, and the haters will seem as bizarre as the folks who were against interracial marriage or giving women the right to vote soon enough...must the haters be on the wrong side of every moral issue?

The US is finally catching up to world views: differences are not bad. All people should be given the same opportunities when it comes to benefits, healthcare, etc.. Kudos to this governor for making such an amazing decision.

Its only natural to honor valid contracts from other states. What's the big fuss - the lawyers must have already worked the details out. How could the world function if every state started deciding what they would honor and what they wouldn't?

Here's a wonderful letter-to-the-editor concerning New York's shift on gay marriage:

--------

God bless Gov. David A. Paterson! I am crying tears of joy as I read this article. We have been waiting so long for a person in a place of power to boldly step forward with courage and love for the gay community.

So often, politicians lose their passion to do what is right and just when they reach the point where they can make such a huge difference.

Governor Paterson will have a place in our hearts all of our lives. We have been married for 36 years and are blessed with four children. Our youngest, Jacob, happens to be gay. Three of them were married in the last couple of years. It has been a time of great joy for our family as they wed the love of their lives.
When our oldest son, Benjamin, got married, he asked Jacob to be his best man. Then our son Joshua got married and again Jacob was his best man. When our daughter, Britta, married her dear Matthew, she didn’t have a maid of honor. She had a man of honor, and it was her brother Jacob.

At each wedding, as Jacob stood by his siblings and signed the papers to make it legal, he did it knowing he did not have the right to marriage himself.

As a mom, I find that hard to understand and heartbreaking to know it is true. How can this country treat people in such a way that something as basic as finding love and being married can be denied to a whole segment of society?
We will do all that it takes to make sure our dear son Jacob can marry the love of his life. But right now, I want to send our love to Governor Paterson. He makes me want to move to New York!

Randi Reitan
Eden Prairie, Minn., May 30, 2008

--------

LETTERS
New York’s Shift on Gay Marriage
Published May 31, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/opinion/l31...

You have to love those who support discrimination. They never learn from the past and continue to pretend that they support the American Dream. All praise to the governor who actually believes in the constitution and rights of minorities.

George wrote:

When gay husbands and wives begin adopting children and sexually abusing them, we'll see a reversal in this crazy crap. Because this is where it's all going. Homosexuality is a serious perversion. Perversion, by nature, has no limits. That is why pedophilia is burgeoning in our current moral environment. When you open the door for the dog, the cat comes in too. It won't be long before the pedophiles are politically organized, gaining sympathy against "haters" and "bashers" on Oprah, and clamoring for the right to molest children.

Funny how that didn't seem to happen when children of opposite sex parents abuse them. I guess if they are heterosexual, it's OK to molest children.

Leviticus 18:22 “Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin."

What's peculiar to me is that conservatives cannot shout enough about the courts legislating (when they do not like the interpretation of a law). It is not the place of the judiciary or executive branch to make the law, only to enforce it. Anyone who still cares about the (New York State) Constitution can see that the state has no choice but to recognize gay marriage per its own laws.
Opinions and judgments aside: the law needs to be decided in the legislature.
(I do not support state sponsored marriage)

Kevin wrote:

Leviticus 18:22 “Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin."

Leviticus is from the old testament, you're also not supposed to eat shellfish, pork, or meat with cheese. Funny how: 1. Were discussing a governmental issue (separation of church and state, ever hear of it) and; 2. Most people that love to cite Leviticus are Christians not Jews and know (or care) next to nothing about the old testament (regardless of its relevance to governing the state of New York).

George wrote:

When gay husbands and wives begin adopting children and sexually abusing them, we'll see a reversal in this crazy crap. Because this is where it's all going. Homosexuality is a serious perversion. Perversion, by nature, has no limits. That is why pedophilia is burgeoning in our current moral environment. When you open the door for the dog, the cat comes in too. It won't be long before the pedophiles are politically organized, gaining sympathy against "haters" and "bashers" on Oprah, and clamoring for the right to molest children.

OK crazy: The difference is that BOTH people consent to be in a homosexual relationship. Children DO NOT and CANNOT consent to being molested. Comparing the two only tells us that you think child molesting is consensual, I think your neighbors should lock up their kids.

Opposition to gay marriage is just bigotry. When the Massachusetts State Supreme Court ruled to legalize gay marriage in 2003 the towns & cities were given a few months until May 17, 2004 when gay marriage would go into effect. Of course Romney & his cronies tried everything to stop it but failed. Even after gay marriages were performed they tried to get an amendment on to the ballot until June 14th, 2007 when it was finally defeated in the State House. For those who are still uncomfortable with this check out our short produced to educate & defuse the controversy. It has a way of opening closed minds & provides some sanity on the issue: OUTTAKEonline.com

The Governor's actions are disgraceful. He knows full well that he is usurping the legislature. The matter has not yet been fully adjudicated by the courts as there is conflicting decisions in the 4 appellate districts. The case Martinez v. Monroe County was under appeal to New York’s top court, the Court of Appeals which dismissed the appeal on a technicality and sent the case back to the appeals court to decide on the issue of damages. Once this is complete, the appeal can be renewed. Furthermore, there are other similar cases making their way to the top court. The Governor’s action was a political power grab which violates the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch. Why is he afraid of the people? If there is such strong support for homosexual marriage, put it to a referendum. Let the people decide.

As to the claims of strong support for homosexual marriage on Long Island, Daniel O'Donnell must have forgot about the failed effort to pass a domestic partnership registry in Nassau County two years ago. As to Craig Johnson, if he believes that the people in his district strongly support his position, why has he kept it off his state website. We have asked him to publicize it.

www.nassaucivic.com

http://www.savemarriageny.org/

Thank you Mr. Paterson! Rise up against the ignorant, religious right! You are reflecting the spirit of democratic values. Be bolder, louder. Make us proud!

Nassau County Civic Assoc wrote:

The Governor's actions are disgraceful. He knows full well that he is usurping the legislature. The matter has not yet been fully adjudicated by the courts as there is conflicting decisions in the 4 appellate districts. The case Martinez v. Monroe County was under appeal to New York’s top court, the Court of Appeals which dismissed the appeal on a technicality and sent the case back to the appeals court to decide on the issue of damages. Once this is complete, the appeal can be renewed. Furthermore, there are other similar cases making their way to the top court. The Governor’s action was a political power grab which violates the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch. Why is he afraid of the people? If there is such strong support for homosexual marriage, put it to a referendum. Let the people decide.
As to the claims of strong support for homosexual marriage on Long Island, Daniel O'Donnell must have forgot about the failed effort to pass a domestic partnership registry in Nassau County two years ago. As to Craig Johnson, if he believes that the people in his district strongly support his position, why has he kept it off his state website. We have asked him to publicize it.
www.nassaucivic.com
http://www.savemarriageny.org/

Yet another example of the Nassau Civic Association being the lap dog of the right wing.

First of all on issues such as human rights, which this is, it shouldn't come down to a vote. The bans on interracial marriage which many states had until the 1960's was a disgrace and it took courts to overturn it. In many states overturning the ban would have failed if it would have been put to a vote. So bigotry would have won over human rights. As far as having a vote, the Same Sex marriage bill (legalizing it) passed in the Assembly about a year ago, but Bruno has refused to bring it up for a vote in the Senate. It amazes me how Republicans bitch & wine about bringing things up for a vote when they refuse to do it themselves.

Same old story - horrors! The world will end if "these people" (fill in blank with blacks, foreigners, gays, whatever) get "special rights" (meaning what everyone else has) to do "whatever" (is taken for granted by others.
"It's in the Bible"...so was slavery, prohibition on eating shrimp and lobster, etc., etc. Guess what - the world changes, but not the views of those throwbacks. Kudos to the NY Governor for taking a positive, honorable step rather than doing the easy thing which would have been to do nothing at all.

"George" it's time for you to emerge from your cave and see the light of day! Just in case you don't know, there are hundreds of thousands more heterosexual pedophiles out there than the minority gay pedos as you reflect upon. And do you think perverts only exist amongst the gay minority? Open your eyes buddy! Take Sex and the City for an example - look at the trashy perversion you straights inflict upon the rest of the world. How many times have you looked up a schoolgirl's dress lusting for a bit of young fresh pussy? Or are you just one of those self righteous luny prudes who just can't do any wrong?

Even if Gov. Paterson had eyes as sharp as an eagle's, he would still be as blind as a bat.


Mamaditto Speaks
http://360.yahoo.com/mamaditto

Most of the postings in support of Paterson are from big mouth gays themselves, who like to accuse anyone opposed to their perverted lifestyle as being "bigots". There is no way many of us will ever ever accept this as a normal,so stop trying to push it on everybody. We will simply agree to disagree. The radical gay agenda is designed to demonize all who disagree with them and corrupt the institution of marriage. All the arguments for same sex marriage are invalid, and this lifestyle is immoral and unnatural, and will contribute to the debauchery of our once great nation.

This is not an amazon auction site.

Nassau County Civic Assoc wrote:

The Governor's actions are disgraceful. He knows full well that he is usurping the legislature. The matter has not yet been fully adjudicated by the courts as there is conflicting decisions in the 4 appellate districts. The case Martinez v. Monroe County was under appeal to New York’s top court, the Court of Appeals which dismissed the appeal on a technicality and sent the case back to the appeals court to decide on the issue of damages. Once this is complete, the appeal can be renewed. Furthermore, there are other similar cases making their way to the top court. The Governor’s action was a political power grab which violates the separation of powers between the executive branch and the legislative branch. Why is he afraid of the people? If there is such strong support for homosexual marriage, put it to a referendum. Let the people decide.
As to the claims of strong support for homosexual marriage on Long Island, Daniel O'Donnell must have forgot about the failed effort to pass a domestic partnership registry in Nassau County two years ago. As to Craig Johnson, if he believes that the people in his district strongly support his position, why has he kept it off his state website. We have asked him to publicize it.
www.nassaucivic.com
http://www.savemarriageny.org/

Absolutely correct. The real issue here isn't gay marriage, it's the courts and the executive branch circumventing the legistlative branch.