Gay Rights Groups Form New Yorkers United For Marriage (Updated)
After leaking their plans to the New York Times yesterday, gay rights groups publicly announced plans this morning to form New Yorkers United for Marriage to build a campaign to get same-sex marriage legalized in New York.
It’s an uphill battle after the measure failed by eight votes in 2009 in the state Senate and with Republicans now back in the majority. No Republican backed the measure, and neither did some Democrats.
But gay-rights groups have watched public opinion polls for same-sex marriage improve in New York to the high 50s, and the groups hope their combined effort will put pressure on senators to back the bill. They also have a strong ally in Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has vowed to push to make the bill law.
The group is formed by an alliance of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Freedom to Marry, Human Rights Campaign and Marriage Equality New York. The Times said the group plan to spend a $1 million on advertising and has hired Jennifer Cunningham, a former close adviser to Cuomo and ex-wife to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
That’s an interesting development because Cunningham said last fall she would leave the lobbying business because of questions raised about her close ties to both men.
Updated: Stefan Friedman, a spokesman for the group who works at Cunningham’s consulting firm SKD Knickerbocker, said Cunningham is not doing lobbying on the group’s behalf. She is doing its media strategy.
Gay-rights groups are pushing to get same-sex marriage approved by the end of the legislative session, which is in late June.
“Today, we stand closer than ever to allowing all loving, committed couples to legally marry here in New York,” said Ross Levi, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. “We’ve sent a loud and clear message during the last two years that supporting the LGBT community isn’t just the right thing to do, but it’s also good politics, and this unprecedented coalition will amplify that message.”
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[ POLITCAL JOKE – WITHOUT OFFENCE OR PREJUDICE] – [ FICTION]
NY 21st Century America –
I read the BLOG’s Topic: “Gay Rights Groups Form New Yorkers United For Marriage” . . . .I am no editor; but was just curious to find this very ammusing to rea; becasue isn’t when “groups get united” – for [LET’S SAY] “marraige” . . . . or “sex”; isn’t that supposed to be called an “orgy” – ? –
the question that arises is whether the Church will agree to have a “group adjoining for marriage” unless the cerimony will be conducted by Madona – The Material Girl! [joke]!
Concluding! I pray to that The Lord that I get Married very soon then with a nice Girl; because as it seems that in The State of NY The NY Govornors since Spitzer the Federal Crosser with Stocking & Sex are doing their best to make it “illegal for a Man and a Woman to Marry” – Ladies and Ladies or Shall I write Ladies and Gentlemen and Gentle Ladies! I am not sorry that I am a God Fearing American! This “sexy & attractive” headline just seems like “conditioning everyone of us” from TV [Will&Grace] to Local Schools – The Conditioning or American Minds are doing well at every possible Forum!
Interesting, isn’t it! God Bless America.
By the way [this] conditioning is not very healty for Our County! Don’t you think! Hey what is the color of your underware? How does that sound! Offensive if it is against the globalisation and sex – Who care really what or who marriys who!
And when one talks about it1 It’s a big deal. Why?