NOM BLOG

NY Sen. Tom Duane: SSM Failure in '09 Due to "A Homophobic Cesspool Senate"

 

Today at a SSM rally held in Albany NY, State Sen. Tom Duane --the state's only openly gay state senator-- lost no time in demonizing those who disagree with him about redefining marriage:

Looking back on the Senate's rejection of a gay marriage bill in 2009, Duane said it was a combination of "a homophobic cesspool Senate" that is "filled with people lacking courage." He said while there are good people looking to fight for justice, there needs to be a harder push, particularly among Republicans who voted in a bloc against the bill the last time around. -- NY Daily News

Governor Cuomo, meanwhile, was "conspicuously absent" from the event (according to the NYT and numerous other sources). NY Lieutenant Gov. Robert Duffy showed up instead, and tried to claim that people will "flee" New York unless their legislature redefines marriage:

Duffy said people are fleeing the Empire State because of high taxes and over-regulation, adding, “we also have a state that people will flee if they are denied a basic civil right. It really is a statement about New York.” -- Capital Confidential

A reader responded to Duffy's claim in the comments section:

"People will “flee”? Did people flee Maine when they repealed? Have they fled California with Prop 8? Will they flee Iowa when they repeal? No they won’t. They will flee because of high taxes. Let's stop addressing an issue that deals with a small amount of people, and work on the issues that effect all of us."

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