Last week, at the annual NYC LGBT dinner gala, Mayor Bloomberg again endorsed gay marriage.
The story ran on the AP on March 26th - here it is - it is brief, so I am posting it in its entirety:
"Mayor Michael Bloomberg is reaffirming his support for legalizing gay marriage.
The mayor told an audience Wednesday night that he will again ask state lawmakers to allow gay couples to tie the knot in New York. But he doesn't know whether Albany is ready to support such a measure.
Mr. Bloomberg made the remarks at an annual dinner of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.
He says the tide of public opinion is turning in support of gay marriage. Mr. Bloomberg offered to testify in favor of any bill considered in the capital.
The statement came less than a week after New York Sen. Charles Schumer appeared to reverse course in his views on gay marriage, saying no group should be deprived of equality."
This story is heartening for those of us who have been in the trenches, fighting alongside our gay brothers and sisters for equal rights - if Charles Shumer can have a change of heart, what is next? Are we really ready to have this debate in Albany?
New York runs red and blue and the further upstate one goes, the bluer it gets - It was to be a goal of Governor Patterson to address the inequities in GLBT relationships vis-a-vis gay marriage, but after realizing what a hot button issue it was, it was decided by the powers that be to table the issue until they were more sure that he would be elected outright. That is still to be determined. What we do know is that gay rights are civil rights and equal rights should go to everyone.
I was a member of the amazing group Equality Utah for several years during my sojourn in the Rockies - every year, I would watch aghast as hateful legislation was brought forth against my gay friends - denying the right for domestic partner benefits, health insurance and other such issues were routinely targeted.
I have written of being a former political appointee of the mayor of Salt Lake City - often I am asked of my proudest moments during my tenure - by far, the Winter 2002 Olympic Games were my proudest moment and the next proudest moment was when the mayor signed an executive order relative to domestic partnerships, indicating that all city employees should be entitled to them as GLBT persons. I was truly proud of the mayor on that day as I stood behind him in his ornate conference room - surrounded by leaders, friends and allies of the gay rights movement in Utah - yes - there is one of them in Utah - it is not as advanced as what we have in New York or California, but it is there nonetheless.
I continue to speak for my brothers and sisters of the GLBT community - that they will be heard, that they will get the rights that we in the straight community take for granted - may that day come soon and may we never take it for granted that there but for the grace of God go all of us - women, people of color and other minorities - we are in this struggle together.
Equal is right - and remember - injustice to one is an injustice to all of us.
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