With the news that New York is just 2 votes shy of a Senate majority to pass marriage equality, I took the time to write my State Senator, Republican Majority Leader Dean Skelos a brief little letter below:
Senator Skelos,
If marriage equality has the votes, please let the Senate vote on it.
Surely, you are aware of the attitudes of this state, the changing minds of everyday folks and the growing acceptance of GLBT Long Islanders.
As a gay resident of Oceanside, I strongly respect your religious, traditional view of marriage, however, you must be well aware that your view is out of step with that of the rest of the state.
As you are an employee of the people, I ask you to follow our morals rather than to vote by yours.
Eventually, you will see that our morals are not that different.
That said, changing your mind is an uphill battle, and I know your vote is unchangeable, that's why I ask you to do two things: 1) Please allow the issue to a vote in the Senate, and 2) Pray.
Pray to understand that I am more than a voting-bloc outside of the traditional GOP demographic; that I am a person, I am a brother and I am a son.
I am however, not equal.
You can change that.
I respectfully ask for your support.
Thank you.
You can write your senator at nysenate.gov
IF, big if, if New York passes marriage equality it would have a tremendous nationwide effect for the following reasons:
-It would be by far the largest state to have marriage equality.
-It would be by far the largest state to accomplish this through the legislative process.
-It would pass through a Dem-controlled Assembly and a Republican-controlled Senate, signed by a Dem governor, making this a bipartisan accomplishment, a first for the movement.
-It's been a legislative priority for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who clearly has 2016 on his mind, signaling a political shift that gay marriage has gone from a political liability to an asset (at least in Democratic circles)
-If NY Senate Maj. Leader Skelos (R) brings it to the floor to vote, and a handful of republicans end up voting for it, they will have calculated that by offending their core social conservative base was not as important as possibly alienating their moderate and independent swing voters.
-The sum of these points is that NY will confirm and reinforce the inevitability mantra, the recent surge in support of marriage in national polls and really add serious momentum nationwide and worldwide to the equality movement.