Minority Leaders Push For Same Sex Marriage
ALBANY, NY - A group of New York leaders and elected officials from minority communities put out an open letter supporting gay marriage, urging the state Legislature to stand for “full equality and justice – por igualdad y justicia – for all.”
The letter is signed by some prominent names: former Gov. David Paterson, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, New York City Comptroller John Liu, and a handful of current state and local lawmakers. “Today, looking back on the states that banned inter-racial marriage just a few decades ago, it seems so implausible that anyone would stand up to defend such injustice,” the letter reads. “Through the lens of history, people will look back on the fight for marriage equality with the same disbelief.” A coalition of gay-rights groups—dubbed New Yorkers United for Marriage—circulated the letter today, also touting results from a Siena poll released today that showed 54 percent of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage, with 42 opposed. “The Siena survey shows once again that marriage equality has evolved into a mainstream issue that enjoys broad public support, with 56 percent of independent New Yorkers, 60 percent of political moderates and 58 percent of suburban voters supporting equality,” said Cathy Marino-Thomas, board president of Marriage Equality New York. “Momentum continues to build across the board and we’re hopeful that all committed and loving couples will be able to marry by the summer.” A NY1/YNN-Marist poll released earlier this month showed 50 percent support gay marriage if civil unions are an option, with the remaining respondents evenly split between those unions and no legal recognition whatsoever.
