Friday, December 18, 2009
Mayor of DC signs marriage bill
In the midst of all the bad news the LGBT community has been getting, today there was a wonderful respite. DC Mayor Fenty (left) signed the same-sex marriage bill with great fanfare, in All Souls Church, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. After signing, he graciously handed the pen to Councilor David Catania (I-At Large), who is openly gay and co-sponsored the measure. Unless Congress steps in and stops the bill, same-sex marriage will be the law in DC in thirty days. Here are Mayor Fenty's remarks at the ceremony:
Today, an era of struggle ends for thousands of District residents who have been denied the fundamental to right to marry the person of their choosing
Today, the city is taking a leap forward in ensuring freedom and equality for all residents.
This is a historic and extraordinary moment in the nation's capital. And I am proud to be the Mayor of a city that stood up against an issue that tramples the basic rights and civil liberties of our neighbors, families and friends.
Last month when the DC Council introduced the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009, you came out in vast numbers in support of it. You gathered, testified and made it known to the world that we will no longer endure the weight of marriage inequality, not now, not ever.
Marriage inequality is a civil rights, political, social, moral, and religious issue in this country and many nations. And as I sign this act into law, the District from this day forward will set the tone for other jurisdictions to follow in creating an open and inclusive city.
Rachel Maddow exposes senators who want to pray away heath care
Okay. Why would Jesus want to kill health care for all people?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thank you, Mayor Fenty
Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty will sign the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment of 2009 tomorrow morning at 10:45 at All Souls Church, Unitarian in New York City.
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Thank you, Mayor Fenty, for doing the right thing!
What about Maryland? Could it be next?
Here's an abridged version of a blog entry from http://gayrights.change.org.
With Washington, D.C. moving forward to recognize same-sex marriage, a lot of eyes are starting to wander over to its neighbor to the north, Maryland. There, the state's attorney general has a pretty big decision to make that could affect a whole bunch of same-sex couples.
Attorney General Douglas Gansler (left) has to decide whether Maryland can recognize legal gay marriages that are performed out of state. Or, in other words, will two men or two women who tie the knot in D.C. still be legally married when they go shop for furniture at the IKEA in College Park, Maryland?
The Baltimore Sun has some very curt words for Atty. Gen. Gansler, urging Gansler to move his ass on the issue of marriage equality. "...the issue of gay marriage is now at Maryland's doorstep, and it increases the urgency for Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler to rule on whether the state is permitted to recognize same-sex marriages from other states," writes Sun blogger Andy Green. "It's hard to conceive of what, exactly, is taking Mr. Gansler so long."
That's a very good question. Sure, when it comes to state law, you want to make sure you have your i's dotted and your t's crossed. But a six-month delay in answering whether legal gay marriages committed in places like Massachusetts, Iowa, and soon-to-be D.C., are legal?
With Washington, D.C. moving forward to recognize same-sex marriage, a lot of eyes are starting to wander over to its neighbor to the north, Maryland. There, the state's attorney general has a pretty big decision to make that could affect a whole bunch of same-sex couples.
The Baltimore Sun has some very curt words for Atty. Gen. Gansler, urging Gansler to move his ass on the issue of marriage equality. "...the issue of gay marriage is now at Maryland's doorstep, and it increases the urgency for Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler to rule on whether the state is permitted to recognize same-sex marriages from other states," writes Sun blogger Andy Green. "It's hard to conceive of what, exactly, is taking Mr. Gansler so long."
That's a very good question. Sure, when it comes to state law, you want to make sure you have your i's dotted and your t's crossed. But a six-month delay in answering whether legal gay marriages committed in places like Massachusetts, Iowa, and soon-to-be D.C., are legal?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)