Gay Marriage Showdown for Paterson and Bruno

Photographs of Governor Paterson and Senate Leader Joseph Bruno from the AP

When Governor Paterson says things like “People who live together for a long time would like to be married — as far as I’m concerned, I think it’s beautiful,” don’t you just want to give him a big hug and buy him an ice cold Schmitt’s? Well, not everyone is heartened by Paterson’s push to have out-of-state marriages recognized in New York.

Michael Long, chairman of the state’s Conservative Party, is outraged by his party’s inability to repress Paterson’s advance: “To do this in the dark of night, through the back door, to begin the process of destroying the sanctity of marriage, is really wrong.”

And Senate Republican Majority Leader Joe Bruno, who opposes gay marriage, questioned the directive’s constitutionality, saying they will challenge it in court if necessary. Bruno has a friendly relationship with Paterson (especially compared to his relationship with Spitzer), but he was apparently surprised by Paterson's decision to ask state agencies to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages and emphasized, "The highest court here in New York State made it 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."

The Times has the back story on Paterson’s accepting attitude toward homosexuality, which was cultivated during his childhood visits with Uncle Stanley and Uncle Ronald, two gay men in Harlem who would look after him when his parents went out of town. Paterson has been supportive of same-sex marriage throughout his career, and has said gay men and lesbians today face the same kind of civil rights battle that black Americans endured.

Wednesday’s directive was actually in the works before the California decision – Paterson began laying the groundwork in March after an appellate court in Rochester ordered a community college to provide health benefits to the wife of a woman who was married in Canada.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on May 30, 2008 11:12 AM

Comments [rss]

sonyactivision

When are they finally going to skip the "marriage" part and let gay couples fuck each other's brains out?

TKaisen

While I agree with Governer Patterson's view on the matter, how he's going about it is wrong. The executive shouldn't be able to just slide legislation in without the approval on the legislature.

Just because you agree with it doesn't make it any less wrong than GWB side-stepping Congress to approve legislation and it's a dangerous precedent to set.

glennQNYC

It is a shady way of making same-sex marriages legit IMO.

jaja007

Why such hatred, babyhitler? Why the anger? What demons are eating you up inside?

If you're looking for a friend, this isn't the way to go about it. Maybe you should get a dog.

abcohen

How is this a political issue?!?! its a social reform issue... and should remain that way - it shouldnt be illegal and thats the bottom line!!!!

uggg... we need to start taking steps forward not backwards!

blablanyc

Can't see. Can't tell.

Think2wice

The Ten Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong. (Internet classic)

1. Homosexuality is not natural. Real people always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4. Heterosexual marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks still aren’t supposed to marry whites.

5. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if homosexual marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6. Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children. Homosexual couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren’t full yet, and the world needs more children.

7. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in North America.

9. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven’t adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

babyhitler

jaja - why are you against gay marriage and always dissing paterson? you are obviously a gay black man.

jaja007

Joe Bruno is a great New Yorker. He is truly the concience of New York.

What does Patterson know about "beautiful"? The guy can't see!!!

PBRK

It's eventually going to come down to allowing Gay Marriage or requiring all marriages to result in the production of offspring: you can't argue against Gay Marriage based on property rights and tax codes.

Spirit of 76

You really want to know what's destroying the sanctity of marriage? People who get divorced three, four, five times. Bruno and Silver should get a room together somewhere. When are those two dinosaurs going to croak? There's never a good asteroid around when you need one.

JMH

Awesome Schmitt's Gay reference.

natis

I bet Michael Long's speech writer is gay and is getting a kick out of the fact that he got his boss to say that.

meL

And Dave, how ironic that the one who is blind is the one who can see.

Dave Hogarty

One of the two men above is a blind man stumbling for a foothold on the matter of societal fairness, reality, and good sense. The other has a firm grasp and a clear view on the matter.

meL

Considering how NYC is, it's so ridiculous to think that gay marriage still isn't recognized. It's just stupid when you think about it. NYC is progressive yet we're still so backwards.

With that said, go Gov! Hope this time it works.

Kojak

Joe Bruno doesn't have the vision for the future Paterson has. Bruno is blinded by his hate for homosexuals and he clearly cannot see the benefits of allowing gay unions to share the same rights as privileges heterosexual unions carry.

Perhaps if Bruno had the foresight Paterson has on such important issues, this state would be in better shape.

zodak

“To do this in the dark of night, through the back door...is really wrong."

agreed.

this should be done with some kind of lighting, you don't want to slip & cross-contaminate or worse: injure yourself or your partner.

TimSPC

When all is said and done, you don't want to be the last state to legalize gay marriage. You just don't.

dr zippy

how is gay marriage a cancer on society? What harm does it do and who is harmed by it?

fakenewyorker

bruno looks like he should be in a dress stuffing riggote in some schvigadelle.

Fritzdecat

50% of marriages gay or otherwise end in divorce...the real problem lies elsewhere but no ones lookin dere

jenspellnogood

bruno's a cancer on this state, and gay marriage is a cancer on society. it's equally as stupid as hate crime legislation.

yoplay

hot chicks in nyc during the spring and summer ruin the sanctity of marriage... ban them to hell!!!

savior78

but... bruno is gay! that's weird.

Tgirl

in many cases, why should married people (gay or not) have different rights and privledges than single people?

unless one has dependents in their household (whether they be children, aging parents, siblings, a partner, or even a friend), why should the state and the private sector underwrite their benefits?

except in cases like hospital visits and such (proxys, living wills and other documents can be tailored to anticipate some of these issues) simply being romantically involved with someone you live with should not necessarily be the problem of the state or your employer.

dr zippy

I wish someone would explain exactly how gay marriage would "destroy the sanctity of marriage".

Dave Hogarty

"To do this in the dark of night, through the back door"

Oh my; it sounds like Conservative Party leader Michael Long is certainly hot and bothered about the gays. Is it a "violation of the holiest of holies" Mr. Long?

Guest

“To do this in the dark of night, through the back door"

Teehee

chubbyemu

It's good to see that Paterson seems to have some weight in making ACTUAL progress in this state. Keep fighting, Gov. Of course, we will see what really happens in this godforsaken state with Bruno still around.