Yesterday, the New York State Assembly passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage by a wide margin (i.e., 85-61). That bill is now expected by all to go off to the New York State Senate to die. Nonetheless, the New York Times’ City Room provides a snapshot of yesterday’s Assembly debate over the bill. This snapshot is worth reading because it really seems to mirror where we are as a society on this issue (not to mention on other lesbian and gay issues). It includes the tearful pleas of an openly gay assemblyman, an assemblywoman’s story about coming to grips with her own son’s homosexuality, the objections of those who find themselves rooted (cemented?) into religious and traditionalist opposition to same-sex marriage, and those who parrot the absolutely inane arguments proffered by reactionaries in their zeal to confound the debate over same-sex marriage (and this person actually seems to come up with a new one in the process).
-Anthony C. Infanti
