Editor's note - Dear readers, I wrote this Thursday night but I feel that because of what it says, it should stay as the main blog post of attention for at least a few more hours, with a few alterations of course.
In a huge shocker,last night's all night NY Senate session, in which marriage equality was possibly going to be decided, has been reconvened until tomorrow morning.
There were several explanations given for this, but none of them matter.
We are now at a point that marriage equality in New York has to be voted on because after over a week, this situation has reached epic proportions.
A yes for marriage equality vote would have been historic in itself. But the fact that the Republican led NY Senate has stalled and stalled on this bill for over a week - for whatever reason be it religious exemptions or otherwise - has now given this vote a page in American gay history
What will the end result be? Marriage equality in New York was approved or marriage equality in New York was voted down after over a week of suspicious stalling by the NY Republican party?
Those are the two choices regarding the stories which will be told to future generations. And for the NY Republican Party, there is no third choice.
We are now at the point where actualities and technicalities don't matter.
Because of what happened just now, marriage equality in New York must be voted on in this session.
I'm personally hoping that it will be approved and in all honesty, it would be in the best interest of the NY Republican party that this be the case.
Votes come and go, but a reputation for shadiness (whether earned or unfairly given) will stay with you forever.
And trust me when I say that neither history nor the lgbtq community will not forget the ongoing proceedings. Neither history nor the lgbtq community will forget the nervous waiting, the burst of optimism at positive rumors that the vote is coming soon, nor the despair over negative rumors that the vote has been delayed over and over and over again.
The National Organization for Marriage isn't going to be able to throw enough sugar over these proceedings to make them palpable should marriage equality fail to pass. My guess is that the organization itself will be running for cover over the negative publicity after a while.
So the question now to the Republicans in the NY Senate is a simple one - how do you want history to remember you?
Lastly, I want to send a message to my lgbtq brothers and sisters in New York. Don't give up. Don't give in to frustration or anger. Lgbtqs throughout history have faced great odds and have persevered. It is the stock we are made of. We sacrificed ourselves to bring down mighty armies in Ancient Greece. Our genius helped to save the world during World War 2, our organizational skills brought together one of the greatest marches in the history of United States in 1963. And a whole bunch of us, considered outcasts by so-called normal society, taught the country how to stand up and be counted in a little corner bar in New York during the summer of 1969.
We are a people who have endured so much, whether they be lies under the guise of religion or blows struck at us in wanton hate.
But the one thing we aren't are quitters. Don't start now. You will win this by the strength of your endurance and the capacity of your love.
Never give up.
In a huge shocker,last night's all night NY Senate session, in which marriage equality was possibly going to be decided, has been reconvened until tomorrow morning.
There were several explanations given for this, but none of them matter.
We are now at a point that marriage equality in New York has to be voted on because after over a week, this situation has reached epic proportions.
A yes for marriage equality vote would have been historic in itself. But the fact that the Republican led NY Senate has stalled and stalled on this bill for over a week - for whatever reason be it religious exemptions or otherwise - has now given this vote a page in American gay history
What will the end result be? Marriage equality in New York was approved or marriage equality in New York was voted down after over a week of suspicious stalling by the NY Republican party?
Those are the two choices regarding the stories which will be told to future generations. And for the NY Republican Party, there is no third choice.
We are now at the point where actualities and technicalities don't matter.
Because of what happened just now, marriage equality in New York must be voted on in this session.
I'm personally hoping that it will be approved and in all honesty, it would be in the best interest of the NY Republican party that this be the case.
Votes come and go, but a reputation for shadiness (whether earned or unfairly given) will stay with you forever.
And trust me when I say that neither history nor the lgbtq community will not forget the ongoing proceedings. Neither history nor the lgbtq community will forget the nervous waiting, the burst of optimism at positive rumors that the vote is coming soon, nor the despair over negative rumors that the vote has been delayed over and over and over again.
The National Organization for Marriage isn't going to be able to throw enough sugar over these proceedings to make them palpable should marriage equality fail to pass. My guess is that the organization itself will be running for cover over the negative publicity after a while.
So the question now to the Republicans in the NY Senate is a simple one - how do you want history to remember you?
Lastly, I want to send a message to my lgbtq brothers and sisters in New York. Don't give up. Don't give in to frustration or anger. Lgbtqs throughout history have faced great odds and have persevered. It is the stock we are made of. We sacrificed ourselves to bring down mighty armies in Ancient Greece. Our genius helped to save the world during World War 2, our organizational skills brought together one of the greatest marches in the history of United States in 1963. And a whole bunch of us, considered outcasts by so-called normal society, taught the country how to stand up and be counted in a little corner bar in New York during the summer of 1969.
We are a people who have endured so much, whether they be lies under the guise of religion or blows struck at us in wanton hate.
But the one thing we aren't are quitters. Don't start now. You will win this by the strength of your endurance and the capacity of your love.
Never give up.
2 comments:
My heartfelt "thank you" for expressing so eloquently what I needed to hear this evening. Most grateful.
Yes, thank you for this wise and humane posting. It is right in all respects, including the counsel for patience.
Your description of the past few days perfectly captures what I have been feeling: "Neither history nor the lgbtq community will forget the nervous waiting, the burst of optimism at positive rumors that the vote is coming soon, nor the despair over negative rumors that the vote has been delayed over and over and over again."
We can only hope that justice will be done today.
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