Manhattan Offender

Senator Onorato's office (or at least the sidewalk in front of it) is home for Marriage Equality.

With a rumored special session of the New York State Senate coming at month's end and the rumored presentation by the Governor of the Marriage Equality bill in that rumored session, the activists are revisiting Astoria Senator George Onorato's office again.  As usual, the senator isn't there, but many passersby and community activists are.  In June the artificial deadline of Pride month was countered by chaotic politics.  With the National Equality March looming in October, again the hope for New York is for a celebration.

Christine Quinn's action plan for today does not involve pies, but has all the right steps to get the vote on Marriage Equality in the Senate Circus today

Below find, in full, Quinn's letter sent this morning regarding getting the marriage bill voted on today:

June 24, 2009

 

Dear New Yorker,

 

You can help make Marriage Equality a reality in New York State.  If you feel as strongly about this issue as I do, the time to act is now!  

 

Governor Paterson has called a special session of the State Senate for today, Wednesday, June 24th, at 3 p.m. and he has placed the Marriage Equality Act at the top of the agenda.

 

Make your voice heard.  Call your State Senator about the Marriage Equality Act (A.7732 - O'Donnell / S.4401 - Duane), which would provide marriage rights to same sex couples.

 

Millions are ready for a change and are ready for it now!  Our state has long been a moving force in fights for equal rights, and this crucial bill, if passed, will keep us at the forefront of this movement. 

 

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION: 

 

1. Call five friends who live in the districts of State Senators who are not yet firmly committed to a position on the Marriage Equality Act. 

 

2. Urge them to call and write their State Senator.  They should ask their Senator to not only take a position on the Marriage Equality Act but to urge his/her colleagues to do so as well! 

 

3. Contact the leaders in the State Senate - Malcolm Smith (212) 298-5585, John Sampson (718) 649-7653, Pedro Espada, Jr. (518) 455-3395 and Dean Skelos (516) 766-8383 - and let them know your position on this important civil right.

 

Contact information for State Senators can be found here: 

 

• http://www.nysenate.gov/senators  
• New York State Senate Switchboard (518) 455-2800 

 

Thanks so much for helping us make Marriage Equality a reality in New York State.

 

Sincerely, 

Christine C. Quinn

Speaker

New York City Council

While it doesn't include a pie in Diaz's face, it is effective.

Gay marriage bill hits the State Senate tomorrow. Here's an action plan:

The Daily Politics - NY Daily News.

Today's extraordinary Senate session went so well that Gov. David Paterson wants to do it again tomorrow, and this time he's putting gay marriage on the agenda. Democratic senators who are lingering the chamber and waiting for something to happen confirm that they have been delivered a second proclamation from the governor declaring another session tomorrow - Same bat time! Same bat station! Even though the Senate has so far only passed five of the 55 bills the governor put on today's agenda, the new proclamation includes an additional 10 bills, and same-sex marriage is No. 1.

1.  If you can, go to Albany tomorrow.  Don't worry about having a plan, there will be others there.  Just meet up with them.
2.  Call the following tonight:  Your State Senator, Governor Patterson's office (to thank him)
3.  If you see Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. of the Bronx, throw a pie in his face.  It's time this Anita Bryant throwback was treated with the disrespect he deserves.

Joe Bruno sways to gays.

Words fail.

Via Andres at Blabbeando.

Want evidence of a sea change happening regarding Marriage Equality? Check the fan sites for soap operas.

From the "Guiding Light Central Message Board:

Not only that but I dont believe I have the right to tell someone else who they love or how they love is wrong. Besides if GLBT want marriage I say let em have it so they can be just as miserable as "straight" couples! imageWhy should they be able to get up and leave with no legal hassel but we have to go throught the emothional physical and financial crap called divorce? I say share the good and BAD!

Tales from the marriage equality frontline - Astoria Marriage Rally II: Birth of the Bridesmaids for Marriage Equality

TIME:  4:30 p.m.
SCENE:  Studio Space Beer Garden

Joanna and Jeime sit, sipping beer, pencils in hand, staring at a blank piece of posterboard.  Rod sits across from them, coloring in a "WE ARE QUEENS!" poster.

Jo:  I want a sign.  But what do I want to say?

Je:  'Marriage is for everybody!'

Jo:  Boring.

Je: ' I want my gay friends to get married, but I don't want to!'

Jo:  Too long.  And TMI.

Je:  'Hot girls for marriage!'  [Je and Jo laugh.  A lot.]

Jo:  It's not about us.  Is that bartender coming to the rally?  He better.  Oh.  I really like him.

Je:  He likes me, not you.  And yes, I told him to be there.

Jo:  You.  Whatever.  Rod, help us.  The mimosas are inhibiting the creativity.

R:  [Looks up from his sign.]  Do something like 'Always a bridesmaid, never a bride' or something.

Je:  A bridesmaid dress for a gay wedding would be hot!

Jo:  Never a gay bridesmaid, never a gay bride?

R:  Does that make sense?

Je:  "Hags for Fag Marriage!"  [Jo falls almost off her bench with laughter.]

Jo:  Girl.  No.  "Gay bridesmaids for marriage!"

Je:  No!  We get enough guys thinking we're lesbian as it is!

R:  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Jo:  Of course not.  We work it to full effect.  [Jo and Je high-five.]  "Bridesmaids for Marriage Equality!"

 TIME:  6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
SCENE:  Athens Square, Astoria at the Marriage Equality rally

Joanna, Jeime, Leah, Denise, Joyce and Kate are holding up signs.  They are given thumbs up from the stage.  They are asked to pose for pictures.  They are flirted with by men and women.  An organizer for Marriage Equality New York approaches them.

Organizer:  You girls are wonderful!  I love all your signs!

Je:  We did them in bridesmaids dress colors!

Jo:  We're the Bridesmaids for Marriage Equality!  And we're coming to all the future rallies wearing bridesmaid dresses! 

Je:  We are?

Organizer:  I love it!  How can I contact you?

Jo:  You can find us on Facebook.  Like, tomorrow.  After the hangover clears. 

Photo via David Formichella.

Tales from the marriage equality frontline - Astoria Marriage Rally I: Beer, Burger, Bartenders, and Applause

 The fact was clear:  Despite the importance of any issue, it's difficult to get a group of friends to come to a Marriage Equality rally on a pretty almost-summer Sunday afternoon.  The solution?  Beer.

A great cross-section of friends old and new gathered, pre-rally, at Studio Space, the new beer garden in Astoria.  There were my girly-girls from Brooklyn and Harlem.  My buddies from Brooklyn.  My other buddies from the 'hood and Manhattan.  And new friends from Out Astoria. 

We gathered at our tables, drank beer, ate burgers and brats.  More girly-girls arrived post multi-mimosa brunch and almost immediately took pictures with a model-pretty bartender.  More buds came and fretted over just the right beer for the day.  Diligently we filled in our signs with the Crayola markers.

The just-married-last-week-in-Connecticut-because-they-can't-get-married-in-their-home-state-of-New-York lesbian couple arrives and our tables let out a cheer as we present them with our sign for them:  "I Married a Girl, and I Liked It."

Beer continued to flow as time came close for our departure to the rally.  One of the girly-girls has an idea:  Let's get on the stairs and take a quick picture with the signs.

And then something magical happened.

We gathered for the picture and then, quickly, the Beer Garden holding hundreds of people out enjoying a Sunday afternoon erupted in spontaneous applause and cheers from the crowd.  We looked at one another, suddenly electrified and yelling "Thank you, Astoria!"

Meet my neighbors, Jeremiah and Karla, and? Maybe come meet me.

Jeremiah and Karla have been my downstairs neighbors for years. Over time we've held door for each other, and, if feeling particularly outgoing, we've said "hello". Recently we've met through our shared involvement in the Marriage Equality movement. It's strange how the struggle is bringing together people that don't know each other, and bringing closer people that do. Sunday evening will see a large rally in Astoria's Athens Square Park . Beforehand, I've invited a few thousand people to come to Studio Square Beer Garden starting at two to rev up for the rally. Hopefully some of you can come out and we can come together too.

Live- Marriage Equalty response to that California bullshit

Let the sunshine in, indeed.

From Sunday's Marriage Equality rally.
Via those wonderful boys.
(Your writer's laptop is on the fritz. Posting will be erratic until the Genius Bar is visited. But posting as been erratic here for a long time, so maybe you wouldn't notice.)