NY gov calls for session on gay marriage
(Albany, NY) New York Gov. David Paterson is calling the Legislature back to Albany for a special session to cut the budget and possibly vote on legalizing same-sex marriage.
Paterson wants the Senate to give final legislative approval to same-sex marriage. But there’s no guarantee there are enough votes to carry …
Tags: Albany Ny, Budget, David Paterson, gay marriage, Legalizing Same Sex Marriage, Legislative Approval, marriage, Ny Gov, same sex marriage, Senate, Special Session, Vote, York GovMilitary Gay Discharge Moratorium Bill A Non-Starter
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has decided not to pursue a senate amendment that would pause military discharges based on sexual orientation, gay weekly the Washington Blade reported. Gillibrand, the freshman senator appointed by Governor David Paterson after President Obama tapped Hillary Clinton to head the State Department, signaled last week she would introduce the reform as an amendment to a Defense Department reauthorization bill. The amendment would place an 18-month moratorium on the military gay ban, also known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the law that prescribes discharge for gay and lesbian service members who do not remain celibate or closeted.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/07/military-gay-…
NY Gov pushes for Sept. marriage vote
David Paterson will push the State Senate to pass a same-sex marriage bill in a special session.
Tags: David Paterson, marriage, Marriage Bill, Ny Gov, same sex marriage, Special Session, State Senate, VoteGov. Paterson to push for vote on same-sex marriage in September
(Albany) New York Governor David Paterson announced that he will push the State Senate to vote on legalizing same-sex marriage in a special session in early September. Gov. Paterson, a supporter of marriage equality, said that he will push for the vote in the fall because the Senate is not …
Tags: Albany New York, David Paterson, Early September, Legalizing Same Sex Marriage, marriage, Marriage Equality, same sex marriage, Sex New, Special Session, State Senate, Vote, York GovernorPaterson’s Gay Marriage Soft Sell
Gov. David Paterson this morning said he has started talking - not lobbying mind you, just sort of casually chatting - with senators about his gay marriage program bill.
The governor has said he will at some point personally press recalcitrent lawmakers to support the measure, which was passed by the Assembly last week for the second time since 2007.
So far, he seems to be favoring the toe-in-the water approach rather over the jump-in-with-both-feet method.
” I wouldn’t say I was actively lobbying,” the governor said. “But I’ve run into a couple senators here and there and talked to them - some who are for it and some who are opposed.”
“So I have put my word in with those who are opposed and as the session goes on, and the session’s coming to an end, I will talk to the legislators that are not interested and try to persuade them that they should maintain any feelings that they have about marriage equality.”
“But the reason we think the law should be passed is because it would then keep it in line with the other laws that exist on our books.”
That last bit is a new line of reasoning from the governor, who has heretofore cast his call for legalization of gay marriage as the next great civil rights battle - an approach that apparently isn’t sitting all that well with black clergy in Buffalo (not to mention Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. and his fellow Hispanic religious leaders).
See * Paterson’s Gay Marriage Soft Sell New York Daily News Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/patersons-gay…
Massive NYC rallies on both sides of gay marriage
(New York City) Tens of thousands of people staged competing gay marriage rallies in New York City just hours apart Sunday. Together, the rallies stretched from Gov. David Paterson’s Midtown Manhattan office almost to Times Square.
The protest against equal marriage was organized by Hispanic clergy opposed to gay marriage and …
Tags: Clergy, David Paterson, Equal Marriage, gay marriage, Manhattan Office, marriage, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, People, Protest, Rallies, Tens Of Thousands, Times SquareKoch’s Gay Marriage Advice To Paterson
If Gov. David Paterson is serious about getting personally engaged in the Senate’s gay marriage battle, former Mayor Ed Koch has an idea about how to go about that.
“When the New York City Council in 1986 was faced with a vote on a bill that I introduced that barred sexual orientation discrimination in the private sector in employment, housing and education, I as Mayor, having already barred such discrimination by the city government by executive order in 1978, called into my office those members of the City Council, Democrat and Republican, who were wavering on the issue,” Koch wrote in his most recent weekly commentary, which he subsequently quoted in a May 12 letter to Paterson.
“I told them that if their primary opponents or general election opponents used their “yea” vote on the issue against them, I would support them irrespective of their party affiliation and campaign for them,” the former mayor continued.
“My suggestion is that the Governor do the same. Because of the Governor’s low popularity, there should also be an effort to assemble a broad, bi-partisan coalition of private and distinguished citizens that would make the same commitment.”
See Koch’s Gay Marriage Advice To Paterson
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Governor defends gay officer in New York Army National Guard
Governor David Paterson lambasted the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on Thursday and defended a gay New York National Guardsman who’s facing dismissal for violating it.
First Lt. Daniel Choi, 28, of New York City, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 2003 and served as an Arabic interpreter in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. In March, he joined a West Point alumni group called Knights Out and identified himself as a gay officer.
Military policy forbids homosexual service members from disclosing their sexual orientation. Choi received a discharge notice from the Army last week.
Paterson, who recently introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, spoke out Thursday on Choi’s behalf:
“What public interest does it serve for this veteran who risked his life in Iraq to be discharged from the military for exercising the democratic rights that he defended overseas?” he said. “This case is more proof that this policy needs to be changed.”
See NY Governor defends gay officer in New York Army National Guard Times Herald-Record * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Showdown looms over NY gay marriage
(Albany, New York) The New York State Assembly is expected to pass a marriage equality bill this week, but one again the legislation will likely be bogged down in the Senate.
The bill was unveiled last month by New York Gov. David Paterson (D) and introduced in the Assembly by Assemblyman …
Tags: Albany New York, Assemblyman, David Paterson, Equality Bill, gay marriage, Legislation, marriage, Marriage Equality, New York State, New York State Assembly, Senate, York Gov, York State AssemblyHistoric effort to boost HIV/AIDS testing in Asian and Pacific Islander (A&PI) communities.Set
NEW YORK, NY, – Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Inc. (APICHA) will announce the launch of “TEST ME / for hiv”, a historic effort to address a major discrepancy and public health problem – very limited access to HIV testing and increasing infection rates in the Asian and Pacific Islander (A&PI) communities.
On May 19 2009, A&PI HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, APICHA will be joined by elected officials and community leaders on the steps of City Hall to launch the campaign and urge the public to take control. May is also Asian Heritage month.
Currently, A&PIs are the only racial/ethnic group in New York that has not experienced a decline in the number of new HIV diagnoses, but only six percent (6%) of A&PI New Yorkers report that their doctor recommended an HIV test. This presents a major public health concern that could have a far-reaching impact.
The heart of the “TEST ME/for hiv” campaign will be a coordinated effort to have volunteers visit their doctor’s office wearing a tee shirt that reads “TEST ME / for hiv”. The action is meant to initiate the conversation and create an opportunity to educate doctors about the discrepancy.
APICHA’s Chief Medical officer and Executive Director will brief the media about the issue and the campaign at the May, 19 press conference. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor David Paterson and other elected officials have been invited to join in launching the campaign.
APICHA’s is the only Pan-Asian HIV/AIDS organization devoted to working with A&PI communities in New York City.
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