Mayor of New Paltz, NY is marrying gays (edited)

[Jersey Devil]

Correction: The mayor gave out certificates of marriage but not actual licenses per the story in the NY Daily News below.

Just heard on the radio that the Mayor of New Paltz, NY has disregarded an opinion of the NY Dept of Health that same sex marriages are not permissible under NY law and has issued licenses and married dozens of gay and lesbian couples outside City Hall today, according to CBS radio. Apparently NY law does not have any designation in it that marriages can only be between men and women.

It looks to me like while Bush clearly intended this issue to be a distraction it may be morphing into a real movement with a life of its own. Just my observation but I think that the frustration by government of not being able to control the situation may lead to some overreaction like jailing a defiant mayor that may make the issue yet larger.

I have mixed feelings about this. While I certainly would want gays and lesbians to have the same rights as all other Americans I was hoping this would not be a central issue in the campaign because there are so many other crucial issues that could potentially be eclipsed by it. I think all this defiance may be feeding right into Bush's strategy and I note that Barney Frank basically said the same thing about a week ago.

[trogdor]

1. Oh, you can bet the subject will be brought up in Albany...

...most ricky-tick. They can't pass the state budget on time, but I bet they'll have a bill banning this on the floor of the State Senate before close of business today. Expect a foot-in-mouth Pataki moment at the statehouse in time for the 11 o'clock news.

[Jersey Devil]

2. Found a link to the story

NEW PALTZ — Up to a dozen gay couples began exchanging wedding vows on the steps of village hall Friday, a spirited ceremony that opened another front on the growing national debate over gay marriage.

Jason West, the 26-year-old Green Party mayor in this village 75 miles north of New York City, joined San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom as the country’s only mayors to marry same-sex couples. In the past two weeks, about 3,400 gay couples have married in San Francisco.

Billiam van Roestenberg, 38, and Jeffrey McGowan, 39, were the first to wed to the cheers of the crowd. Both wore suits to the ceremony. They held hands and carried a small bouquet of flowers.

“I feel happy and joyful and peaceful,” van Roestenberg said. “A little bit of peace has finally come in. I feel proud to be an American.”

More - http://www.nydailynews.com/front/breaking_news/story/168539p-147262c.html

[BeFree]

3. Make it business friendly

If gays would begin making an economic argument for their gay-ity, the issue will be decided in no time at all.

[kegler14]

4. I must agree

Bush is probably smiling. I think this can only hurt the effort to unseat the Chimp in November.

[newyawker99]

23. Hi kegler14!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[nostamj]

5. 'en masse' is a bit of a stretch

he's only allowing 12 ceremonies today

but it is becoming a increasing issue.

considering that * has failed at everything (except the transfer of wealth) I expect this to fail for him as well.

increased visibility of loving gay couples is a good thing in changing public perceptions and preconceptions.

[Jersey Devil]

6. The radio story said 150 with a crowd of about 500

I didn't see the link until after the post. Which is correct I do not know.

[nostamj]

8. uh, read the second post............

NEW PALTZ — Up to a dozen gay couples began exchanging wedding vows

of course the crowds were bigger but, only 12 ceremonies

[Jersey Devil]

9. Yes, I posted it - as I said, the radio said many more, maybe 150

Hey, I just reported what I heard. Obviously the Daily News story was written much earlier than the radio report I heard less than an hour ago so I would suspect the mayor may have changed his original plans and married more.

[nostamj]

11. oops! should have noticed that. sorry

and to be honest, i've had c-span on in the background so I certainly could have missed a news update if he did

[yellowcanine]

7. By the time an amendment could pass it will be a fait accompli

Marry everyone that wants it. No way they can stop it legally. All marriages made before the amendment will have to stand so that will be a good argument for not amending. It won't pass the Senate anyway. Many pubbies as well as most Democrats are against an amendment. Sorry Jerry (falwell).

[slappypan]

10. I feel like I'm witnessing something amazing happening

like the fall of the Berlin Wall

[Jersey Devil]

12. Interesting observation

It is almost as though the government is totally powerless to stop it. That's why I am somewhat apprehensive about a government overreaction. If they arrest one of these defiant Mayors they could be creating a martyr and take the issue to an even higher level.

[LeahMira]

15. Outstanding!

If they arrest one of these defiant Mayors they could be creating a martyr and take the issue to an even higher level.

I'm glad another mayor has stepped up here. Why should the San Francisco mayor be left out in the mayoral cold? Wouldn't it be great if more mayors did this... sort of like the cities that refused to abide by the Patriot Act? They can't arrest them all if great numbers of mayors join the movement.



It is almost as though the government is totally powerless to stop it.

Yeah, it does, doesn't it? :bounce:

[yellowcanine]

13. Yeah, except that at the Berlin Wall

Gorbachov wasn't there trying to prop it up. Nevertheless, you are right. This has a life of its own. What is John Asscraft going to do? Subpeona their medical records? This will all shake out in a couple of months and then the majority of people will say, "What was the big deal? What were we afraid of?" Bush has gone to the well of fear and ignorance one time too many. It won't work this time.

[beauregardez]

14. My alma mater:

SUNY New Paltz, lived there as a non-student as well ..couldn't be prouder. For those of you who aren't familiar with the area, New Paltz is 90 miles north of NY about thirty miles from Woodstock, it is breathtakingly beautiful .. the Shawanagunk mountains form a long white ridge which right now is in the middle of a development battle, anybody want to help go to www.savethegunks.com

[rocktivity]

21. My alma mater, too!

Two of my sisters attended, one stayed on to get a Masters degree and teach in Poughkeepsie.

:headbang:
rocknation

[newyawker99]

24. Hi beauregardez!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[David__77]

16. Same-sex marriage is legal in New York--this is not defiance.

In CA, maybe according to statute--but in NY there's nothing prohibiting this. The state Democratic Party supports marriage equality.

[Jersey Devil]

17. You may be right but

that is not what NY state health officials are saying. But if there is no explicit mention of marriage requiring a man and a woman in the statute I would agree the Mayor has nothing to worry about by performing the ceremonies. I note, however, that no licenses were issued so maybe he isn't completely sure about it himself.

[David__77]

18. Why license weren't issued.

He is a "village" mayor and the village's clerk cannot issue any licenses to anyone. They couples have six months to go elsewhere, to a "city" or "town" clerk to get a license. I'm sure a clerk will issue licenses somewhere in New York state.

While I understand some people wishing this had happened in 2005 instead, that's simply not an option now. We are faced with this now. I think this mayor did the right thing. It's a fitting retort to the rightist venom we've seen.

[Jersey Devil]

20. Aha - upstate NY always mystifies me

I have several friends and relatives who live in Rockland County and points north (I live in Northern NJ). They live in Villages that are in Towns with school districts that may be in another village or town and it seems everyone has separate responsibilities.

[rocktivity]

19. BUSH is the one who decided to make this a "crucial issue"

Not that he had much choice. What else has he got to fight Kerry or Edwards with--his character? His military service? His defense or domestic accomplishments? His only recourse is to scare people with threats of new kind of terrorism--from godless, baby-killing, perverted, wealth-redistributing liberals. Gay marriage was supposed to be only the opening volley, with the rest of the christian right agenda on its heels (and a mandatory viewing of Mel Gibson's The Passion thrown in for good measure).

But the mayor of San Franscisco hijacked Bush's agenda--purely by accident. The parade of joyous gays leaving the city hall with marriage licenses put a human face on the issue, and if this thread is any indication, moderate cooler heads are beginning to prevail. Just as Meryl Streep suggested, when you stop and REALLY think about it, this issue isn't all that "crucial" after all.

I agree with you that this issue has taken on a life of its own. But that works in our favor, because while it was supposed to be Bush's "pet" issue, he doesn't own it anymore--it has grown beyond of his control like a bad lab experiment.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

22. Isnt the mayor a Green?

I recall reading that the Greens did well in the New Paltz local elections.

So, is the Green Party cool w. Gay Marriage? Seems so.