New York Governor Faces Gay Marriage Fight

Conservatives Vow To Counter Paterson's Memo Ordering State To Recognize Gay Marriages

(CBS/AP)  Religious and social conservatives vowed Thursday to fight the governor's directive requiring state agencies to recognize gay marriages performed legally elsewhere, saying it flouts traditional values and is a big step toward legalizing same-sex unions in New York.

"The definition of marriage predates recorded history," said New York State Catholic Conference Executive Director Richard E. Barnes. "No single politician or court or legislature should attempt to redefine the very building block of our society in a way that alters its entire meaning and purpose."

Gov. David Paterson issued a memo earlier this month saying that gay New Yorkers who marry where it is legal will have the right to share family health care plans, receive tax breaks by filing jointly, enjoy stronger adoption rights and inherit property.

He cited a February ruling in a New York Appellate Division court in which the judges determined that there is no legal impediment in New York to the recognition of a same-sex marriage.

Earlier this month, the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage in the nation's most populous state is legal. The ruling overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage.

At a Manhattan news conference on Thursday, Paterson, a Roman Catholic, defended the directive, saying failure to issue it would have left the state open to lawsuits claiming the state deprived gay couples of civil rights enjoyed in other states.

"We have a time-held and time-tested tradition honoring those marital rights," Paterson said. "I am taking the same approach that this state always has with respect to out-of-state or marriages conducted in foreign governments being recognized here in the state of New York. I am following the law as it has always existed."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, traveling with the President on Thursday, said she had only seen a brief report about the directive.

"I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people who analyze the legal ramifications of it. I think the President's point is that judges shouldn't be making these decisions; the people should be making these decisions," Perino said.

Earlier Thursday, state Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who opposes gay marriage, questioned the constitutionality of Paterson's action but said he hadn't yet seen the memo.

Bruno said the state's highest court has found gay marriage isn't legal within the state. The high court hasn't yet taken up the issue of whether gay marriages performed legally out of state are valid in New York.

"You have to understand that the court, the highest court here in New York state, made it very very clear that the only union that is legal in New York state, to perform a marriage ceremony, is between a man and a woman," Bruno said, citing a 2006 Court or Appeals ruling.

Last year, the Democrat-led Assembly passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, but the Senate didn't take up the bill. A vote in the Senate is considered even less likely this year, a legislative election year in which the Republicans are hoping to cling to its majority by appealing in part to its more conservative base.

Massachusetts is the only U.S. state that recognizes same-sex marriage, but its residency requirements bar New Yorkers from marrying there. Canada is among the nations where gay marriage is legal.

In California, gay couples will be able to wed beginning June 17 - unless that state's Supreme Court decides to stay its own ruling.

A recent poll showed that more California voters now support allowing same-sex marriage than oppose it. The results, released Wednesday, marked the first time in over three decades of polling that more California voters have approved of extending marriage to gay couples than have disapproved, said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. The survey of 1,052 registered voters was conducted over the phone.

[blackyowe]

I have to side with the Republicans on this one. civil Unions sure, Marraige no way!

[irliberal]

Gov Paterson makes me proud to be a New Yorker!! GO CIVIL RIGHTS EQUALITY! ALL RIGHT NEW YORK!

[republic1776]

I want to marry my cat.
Meow

Get rid of marriage all together, issue a state *** for free certificate - and be done with all the fake religious cr*ap. Only sexual diviants care what other people do in their bedrooms...

[rafterman1]

Conserevatives fought voting rights for women and had to be dragged into the 20th century kicking and screaming. Conservatives fought civil rights for blacks and had to be dragged into the 20th century (again) kicking and screaming. Now, conservatives are fighting gay rights and have to be dragged into the 21st century kicking and screaming.

Conservatives - never learning from their bigotry and hatred.

[hunterdon6]

Marriage = one man & one woman. Unless you belong to that Morman Sect in Texas then marriage = one man and many women. Whats this world coming too? Soon these people will want to get married to their pets, and want health benefits for them.

[honestabe8]

HunterDon: That seems absurd. How does a pet signify consent?

[cockapoo3]

This is so outrageous. Here we have all this stuff going on in the world, and what do republicans do? Lecture people about gay marriage..

[cockapoo3]

And how do you know they stick stuff up where they defecate? Thats just in prison.

[cockapoo3]

You could just rub it between the buttttcheeks or somthin..

[summarex]

These homosexuals are just about the only thing that could make me want to see McCain win.
Go McCain!
Ouch!

[hypnotoad72]

These homosexuals are just about the only thing that could make me want to see McCain win.
Go McCain!
Ouch!

Posted by summarex
-----

Quite. It''s the perfect wedge issue, and the flaunters eat it up every single time.

Also, conservatives as a group are not immoral. As for those who blame everything on conservatives, I wonder when they will blame liberals for caving...

[hypnotoad72]

Only sexual diviants care what other people do in their bedrooms...

Posted by KEITHGARDNER
----------------------

Homosexuals also say "it is nobody''s business" when they don''t flaunt their lifestyle, body parts, or anything else. If it''s nobody''s business, why incite "awareness"? That''s why others respond. To the deviants.

[mcvet]

Posted by Rafterman1 at 06:10 AM*****************Isn''''t that a bigoted and hateful statement into it''''s self?


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Posted by maxify55 at 07:18 AM : May 30, 2008
+ report abuse

NO! It''s called HISTORY... the Class YOU obviously NEVER attended. When you look at ALL, EVERY SINGLE ONE of our social struggles, struggles to INCLUDE people in our democracy there is ONE constant. ONE fact stands out in EVERY debate from NON Land Owners being allowed to Vote through the trashing of Jim Crowe... ONE CONSTANT. Conservatives have ALWAYS in EVERY case been against the change AND they have ALWAYS used fear and hate to stop that change. Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

These homosexuals are just about the only thing that could make me want to see McCain win.
Go McCain!
Ouch!


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Posted by summarex at 06:57 AM : May 30, 2008
+ report abuse

You are willing to continue the horrible conditions of this nation because of your hatred. That''s pretty low. Sieg Heil Bush

[pepperwood2]

Where''s Spitzer when you need someone from the Great State of New York, to champion the people''s rights?

What queer priorities this State & Country has preoccupied themselves with.

[mcvet]

Posted by maxify55 at 07:23 AM : May 30, 2008
+ report abuse

When you freaks stop trying to control OTHER people and start thinking about the mess you have served on this nation with your wedge issues and your hatred, we may start to progress. If NOT for your hatred and bigotry we are NOT living through the Worst in our history. We do not have to watch with disgust as a bumbling Incompetent LOSER stumbles through the last few months of a failed Administration that is going to leave us with nothing but egg on our face. I care NOT what Homosexuals do in their homes. I DO care when people attempt to silence them. I care not if they marry each other, I''ve watch for decades as young women marry older men for Money and find that MUCH more disgusting to me. I short, as my old dad used to tell me, I have far to many problems of my own to be concerning myself with the problems of OTHERS. Now put away the swastika, your time has come and gone. Sieg Heil Bush

[jsmithcsa]

Get rid of the gov.

Who appointed him to redefine marriage? Is that part of his job?

[mcvet]

Posted by MCVet

Gee, another original thought? This early in the morning? Oh wait!!! You didn''''t say "neocon"!!! Your post isn''''t complete yet! MORON. LMAO



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Posted by MyOpinion1 at 07:27 AM : May 30, 2008
+ report abuse

YOU to need to read a little history. YOU do know that you are using the same tired old garbage to spew bigotry at Homosexuals that HITLER and the Third Reich did don''t you. IF you losers would just READ a little history and LEARN from it, the world would such a better place. Now stand.. put on your hood and sheet... ready??? Sing it OUT! SIEG HEIL MEIM FUHRER!!

[actiscenei]

Refer to your Bible, people!

Marriage is meant to between a MAN and a WOMAN (or as many WOMEN as he wants). That''s traditional and it is in the Bible, for God''s sake!

The Bible also thinks slavery is okay, too! ...and stoning adulterers is required by law ...and eating pork is a sin.

Read your Bible people!

[formrusmcsgt]

Posted by actiscenei at 07:52 AM : May 30, 2008

Fortunately, we don''t live under cannon law, but rather, secular laws.....

[demslie]

MCVET: YOU MUST BE A BUTT PIRATE,HOW CAN YOU ACCEPT THIS BEHAVIOR?YOU ****''''S MAKE ME BREAKFAST CHURN IN ME BELLY,NOW GO ON,GET!TAKE YOUR POOP PUSHING & GET LOST WITH IT.

Posted by nutsie11

MCVET travels from news post to news post spreading his hate and anger at every subject. He was blasting the Military for the Suicide story. He was screaming curse words for the Bush Book Story. He even screamed at people who talked bad about IRAN when the UN story said %IRAN was trying to build nukes. I thought MCVET was just another Angry Hateful Democrat. But now I see that MCVET, Like all Democrats, Hates Heterosexualllity, Hates Religion, Hates the US Military, Hates White People, Hates Rich People, Hates Capitalism, Hates Family Values and Hates the American Flag. MCVET must be a Muslim Terrorist because he hates everything about American as much as Al Qaeda. Now, go ahead MCVET, call people names like you usually do.

[longtree-2009]

The silence of organized religion such as the Catholics, Baptists, Protestants, Mormons, other Christian denominations, and Muslims regarding gay marriage is deafening. Perhaps all marriages are just a joke to these religious organizations as well as people in general. Why are all the religious leaders silent? All very interesting.

[charlieot]

MyOpinion1...

What credible medical evidence can you cite to support the claim that homosexuality is a disease?
Published studies, medical journal reports, anything?

[charlieot]

MyOpinion1...

What credible medical evidence can you cite to support the claim that homosexuality is a disease?
Published studies, medical journal reports, anything?

Posted by Charlieot

They go ON and ON and ON about how being gay is in the brain right? Well......so is ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, mental retardation and all THOSE produce behaviors we socially reject and goodness KNOWS we socially reject the sickness of g.a.y s.e.x, so it only goes to show that it''''s just another brain disorder/DISEASE in need of a CURE. The freaks went out of their way to explain that so they get the natural opinions about the disease. We have meds for all the other diseases and conditions and are actively looking for a cure so we just need to add this sickening affliction to the list.

In h.o.m.o.s, the anterior commisure is abnormal in the brain. Finding a way to shrink that and get these people back to NORMAL (men with women ONLY) and figuring out what to do with the butch brains will only help get our society back to where it should be.

Posted by MyOpinion1

MyOpinion1,

Interesting response, but can you cite any specific studies that indicate that homosexuality is a disease? You have stated that it is a brain abnormality (much different from a disease), but you have not cited any credible sources for that statement. I''d also be interested in knowing who the always presnt "they" are in this case...

[honestabe8]

onlythereal: do you want your state to make all "immoral" acts illegal, or just some of them?

[singingrick]

onlythereal: do you want your state to make all "immoral" acts illegal, or just some of them?

Posted by honestabe8 at 08:32 AM : May 30, 2008



What immoral acts? Who''s immoral acts?

[redveg]

Posted by MyOpinion1 "They go ON and ON and ON about how being gay is in the brain right? Well......so is ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, mental retardation..."
-----

And so is religion, so that must be a disease as well.

[honestabe8]

singingrick: there seems to be a trend to equate morality with legality. I don''t know that that''s a good thing. whether an act is moral or immoral doesn''t change with the law.

[singingrick]

To all those who are afraid of gay marriage:

Do what I and most heterosexuals do. Don''t marry someone of the same gender. See wasn''t that easy?

You can also try keeping your nose out of other peoples bedrooms. I find that minding my own business makes me a lot happier. Try it.


lol!

[l8c6]

Right wing republicon neo cons, conservative with everyone but themselves who seek totalitarian rule.

Bridges fall, cranes collapse, illegal wars for global corporations and the demise of public government replaced with privatized large shareholder owned government is the trademark of the party and ideology that covers up it''s criminal activity by pandering to issues like gay relationships. Surreal. The religious self appointed and inconsistent self righteous will find the truth through their mortality and the truth won''t be kind to them.

[acolton1]

Religious and social conservatives get over it you are now facing a loosing battle and gay marrage is in your face and you conservative right winged nazi hoidi toido idiots will have to live with gay people in your face. wwwwwwaaaaaaaa grow up. Everybody does not live by your rules. Wake up and smell the coffee Sister !

[mudrose-2009]

He has no case to present this since the Appeals Court defined marriage between a man and a woman. We have Governor''s now as well as Judges, defining marriage for the people. This is unconscionable. It smells of totalitarianism. Marriage is a pre-Constitutional construct. Courts, judges, Governors, legislators are not meant to define it. It is ironic that those who praise the Supreme Court%u2019s decision for establishing a right heretofore unknown don%u2019t see how it has destroyed the basis for any claim to rights beyond those the government grants. In limiting the government%u2019s power to exclude one class of couples from its definition of marriage, the Supreme Court has in reality extended the power of the state beyond all bounds. A limited government requires limits, and, ultimately, for government to be truly limited, society has to recognize boundaries beyond which government may never tread. For its citizens to possess rights in a real and secure fashion, the state must acknowledge spheres of human life which lie outside its authority to act.

[tootall10142]

Go to work pay your taxes oh and dont forget to vote.repeat!now do it again. repeat! Did you tax payers say something? sorry i was listening to north korea listen to us and lost my place.michelle what color are we today?just stay in the suv ill handle this today.

[honestabe8]

lots of things smell of totalitarianism. our irrational war against pot, for example.

[honestabe8]

gopsoccermom: if god is more concerned about *** than he is about hate and poverty and war, he has no credibility

[alexma50085]

Religious nuts need to find a new source of drama. I''m so tired of hearing their blabbering. They can''t come up with anything better against homosexuality than "God" says it''s bad. There needs to be a better reason than "God", because not everyone believes in the same "God".

[alexma50085]

Stop this now or God will surely destroy us all!

Posted by gopsoccermom

Christians have been threatening the destruction of the human race by God for 2,000 years. Why would a loving, caring God want to destroy what he supposedly treasures dearly??

[l8c6]

singingrick: there seems to be a trend to equate morality with legality. I don''''t know that that''''s a good thing. whether an act is moral or immoral doesn''''t change with the law----
----------honestabe8

Selective morality is an even greater offense. Thou shalt not be in an intimate relationship with one of the same *** is not one of the ten commandments but many things are that the self appointed righteous selectively ignore.

Mortality will force without a centimeter of recourse the hypocrites to face the truth and the truth will not be kind to those who spend their time calling others immoral, those always noticing the speck in their brothers eye and never practicing a level of personal accountability by noting the log in their own eye.

[mudrose-2009]

Religious nuts need to find a new source of drama. I''''m so tired of hearing their blabbering. They can''''t come up with anything better against homosexuality than "God" says it''''s bad. There needs to be a better reason than "God", because not everyone believes in the same "God".
Posted by alexma50085

I just did fairy and by the way did they teach you to "think" is public school?

[singingrick]

mudrose

Why is it your business if two consenting adults want to get married?

[alexma50085]

I just did fairy and by the way did they teach you to "think" is public school?

Posted by mudrose

So what is your reason?? I''m not skimming back through all the posts to find yours. And what''s with the name calling?? Are we 12 again??

[singingrick]

To all those who are afraid of gay marriage:




Do what I and most heterosexuals do. Don''t marry someone of the same gender. See wasn''t that easy?

You can also try keeping your nose out of other peoples bedrooms. I find that minding my own business makes me a lot happier. Try it.



lol!

[l8c6]

Christians have been threatening the destruction of the human race by God for 2,000 years. Why would a loving, caring God want to destroy what he supposedly treasures dearly??

Posted by alexma50085

Why would a loving God create a group of people, have them labeled gentiles by some, evil doers by others and have a subset of them "liberated" by a nation controlled by fascist capitalist glutton of earth''s resources sociopaths to destabilize their nation and slaughter their people on behalf of a constituency of private special global elite interests?

[gopsoccermom]

alexma50085, you assume he unconditionally loves us which he surely does not. If he is displeased with us his wrath will surely come upon us!

[gopsoccermom]

honestabe8, says you.

[alexma50085]

alexma50085, you assume he unconditionally loves us which he surely does not. If he is displeased with us his wrath will surely come upon us!

Posted by gopsoccermom

The bible says he loves man unconditionally!!! It''s man that judges and hates.

[mudrose-2009]

No muddy, the first rule of totalitarianism is to find groups of people that can be demeaned officially by the state.

Posted by rafterman1

The State of California has done a good job of it. It demeaned Marriage.

[flagship-usa]

MyOpinion1 at 07:25 AM : "I don''t want my CHILDREN exposed to the disease of homosexuality."
I can understand your thoughts on this matter: How would you keep them from being exposed to it?

This behavior is common among juveniles. It begins at a young age - the age when males/females start to experiment with themself''s and others. This is the perioid when one begins to form his/her sexuality.
This is well documented and recognized as normal behavior. Some take a liking to it, others do not.

You are inclined, as others are, to include your subjective reasoning skills. Although this form of reasoning leans more toward religion than science. We have to recognize what human nature is. We are not all cut from the same cloth, and can not function as though we are homogenized.

[alexma50085]

Why would a loving God create a group of people, have them labeled gentiles by some, evil doers by others and have a subset of them "liberated" by a nation controlled by fascist capitalist glutton of earth''''s resources sociopaths to destabilize their nation and slaughter their people on behalf of a constituency of private special global elite interests?

Posted by l8c6 at 09:14 AM

Because there really isn''t a God, and man is just afraid of death, so Christians and other religions have to believe something else happens after we die.