06/15/2007
One Day in Massachusetts: Gay Marriage Ban Defeated
Here's a first-hand account from Marty Rouse, Human Rights Campaign National Field Director, of the events leading up to yesterday's vote 151-45 vote that defeated the proposed amendment banning gay marriage in Massachusetts.
He describes the moments after the vote like this: "Over in four minutes. The building is shaking with thousands yelling to the legislators as they gather in Nurses' Hall: 'THANK YOU! THANK YOU!' Senate president Therese Murray is the first to address the crowd to shouts of, 'We LOVE Terry Murray!' Hundreds shouting, cheering, crying tears of joy. David Wilson, one of the original plaintiff couples is here hugging everyone...Governor Deval Patrick is now addressing the crowd, or trying to. The crowd is going wild. 'Thank you, Deval!' 'Today the freedom to marry is secure,' he begins, to wild cheering."
Scenes outside the statehouse.
For (left) and against (right).
This woman, Diane Steele of Richmond, Mass., was arrested by police. Following the vote, she reportedly slapped gay rights supporter Jack Kirschenbaun (above), of Malden, Mass. as they argued their positions. Buh-bye.
Here's a video from TakeMassAction showing the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry after they left their interfaith service and arrived at the statehouse to join pro-equality demonstrators.
Finally, I encourage everyone to read this op-ed by Representative Gale Candaras, a Democrat from Wilbraham, who voted for the proposed amendment back in January but changed her mind this time. It's a powerful piece which reveals how hearts and minds can be changed through education, experience, tolerance, and understanding.
Here's a bit of it: "I know from listening to my constituents, since I first became Senator this year that this vote, the vote I take today, is the right vote for the people I serve. I have been most impressed by the number of individuals who have called me and asked me to change my vote because they have changed their minds. One grandmother told me she had changed her mind and wanted me to change my vote in case one of her grandchildren grew up to be gay or lesbian. She did not want any of her grandchildren to be denied the right to marry the person they love. This is exactly the legacy we will leave to generations beyond us, and the example we can set for the nation and, I daresay the world, which is certainly paying attention to what we do and say here today."
Thank you Ms. Canderas, for approaching the issue with an open heart and mind. And Governor Deval Patrick and all the others who worked hard to defeat the bigoted piece of legislation. All in all, a fantastic day in Massachusetts.
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UPDATE: Massachusetts Gay Marriage Ban Defeated [tr]
Posted 8:35 AM EST by Andy in Deval Patrick, Gay Marriage, Massachusetts, News | Permalink
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I honestly never thought sanity would win out like this given the current political environment we live in. I hope Spitzer takes encouragement from this and makes New York next.
Posted by: MT | Jun 15, 2007 8:42:20 AM
Those people protesting against marriage equality are sad, bitter and pathetic, like that woman arrested for slapping a man. They're defined by what they're against, and they're against what they are fearful and ignorant of. A movement like that never ultimately succeeds.
What a great, historic day. I'm convinced that equality will eventually come to all of America. We have the tide of history on our side.
Posted by: sam | Jun 15, 2007 9:39:26 AM
Is that Jack and Ennis from Brokeback Mountain in the first picture?
The guy on the left REALLY looks like (Jack) Jake Gyllenhal; sideburns and all.
Congrats to them!!
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 10:00:46 AM
Loved the video!
Where were all the anti-family protestors that we have heard so much about. To hear the blogs and the media tell it it was about half and half pro and con. Did they show up late? They sure as heck weren't half and half in that video.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 10:09:37 AM
Thank you Andy for posting this. It gave me goosebumps and put a lump in my throat. Sometimes we need images of victory like this. And to hear about some sweet little grandmother "changing her mind" on this issue really gives me hope.
It's easy to become hardened and cynical. We need to see more celebrations like this.
We need to be out making it possible!!
Posted by: mark m | Jun 15, 2007 11:08:06 AM
There is at least one state, one state, that believes in equality. There is hope for us all, even those of us in the bible belt.
Posted by: davefromtampa | Jun 15, 2007 11:21:01 AM
The fact that this has really distressed STEPHEN, our "homo's can't, shouldn't and never will be able to REALLY marry" friend, is icing on the cake!
He's crying over it and using the fundie "slippery slope" meme on the other discussion related to this vote. According to him, marriages like mine degrade and diminish marriages for heterosexuals. Hmm, kinda like how mixed race marriages degraded and diminished the marriages of single race couples and how integrated schools degraded and diminished the education of white kids and how allowing African-Americans voting rights degraded and diminished democracy.
He's still calling married couple's in MA "married" with "not really" quotes and talking about how he's glad that gays in MA have all the same rights as REAL married people.
He's got it wrong ALL the way around. They aren't "married", they're MARRIED. They don't get all the benefits of REAL married couples, they ARE REAL MARRIED COUPLES (who, incidentally, DON'T get ALL the benefits of heterosexual married couples).
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 11:48:55 AM
Thanks for the link that that piece in The Boston Globe. Reading about the grandmother who changed her mind because one day her grandkids may grow up to be gay made me tear up. It's exactly that sort of unconditional love that we fight to promote and protect in these marriage debates.
Posted by: Matty C | Jun 15, 2007 11:49:59 AM
Does anyone know why The Huffington Post STILL hasn't reported on this landmark vote?
As of now there isn't one word about this anywhere on the site. That is REALLY strange!
I've tried to contact them but my emails keep bouncing back.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 11:54:35 AM
Lump in my throat too. That marriage will remain legal in Massachusetts is of towering importance to those of us in every other state as well. It means we will continue to have the powerful example and the ability to ask our legislators and govern(at)ors, "And it won't work here because....?"
Posted by: Gianpiero | Jun 15, 2007 12:34:26 PM
If every civil rights issue was hinged on a popular vote, black people would still be riding at the back of the bus.
Posted by: Pog | Jun 15, 2007 12:43:44 PM
I think Jesus would have had a very hard time keeping himself from slapping that woman.
Posted by: Rey | Jun 15, 2007 1:32:21 PM
THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME!!! :D
Posted by: Allen | Jun 15, 2007 1:33:29 PM
POG, believe it or not that would fine and good with some of the people who post here (Stephen) as long as the bus carried everyone to the same stops and all the seats were "practically" the same.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 2:05:33 PM
Grandparents can be powerful allies in our battles. The first family member I came out to was my grandmother. I wanted her to hear it from me directly and not in some snide way from some other relative. I also knew that with her on my side there'd be no trouble from the rest of the family, and there wasn't.
I still miss her.
Posted by: tjc | Jun 15, 2007 2:36:35 PM
And the guys kissing in the first pic are Greg and his bf Brian. He's been out forever, and he's a great kid. You can see another shot here:
http://news.bostonherald.com/galleries/?title=2007614gaymarriage&record=5
or, if that breaks:
http://news.bostonherald.com/galleries/?title=
2007614gaymarriage&record=5#photo
but on one line.
Posted by: tjc | Jun 15, 2007 2:41:05 PM
The first time I went back to Mississippi, after coming out, being disowned by my parents and moving out of state, I went WITH my partner, with whom I had been partnered for 5 years and with whom I had a son. We stopped first at my 92 year old grandmothers house in another Mississippi town for an overnight visit. She was SO gracious to my husband and INSISTED that we sleep in the formal guest room with a single queen sized bed (which is a misnomer because it comfortably slept TWO queens). I was astounded that this woman who literally came from another century was SO open minded. Total love, total acceptance, total support! The things one expects to get from their family.
Imagine my disappointment the next day when my own mother refused to let us sleep under the same roof at her house. We left immediately, went back to my grandmother's house overnight and then came straight back home to Florida the next day.
Not until earlier this year (over ten years later) did we go back to my parents' house, where we were finally welcomed as a married couple, including sleeping in the same bed.
My grandmother, who has since passed away, was VERY instrumental in bringing my parents around.
Moral of this way too long story:
GRANDMAS ROCK!!!!
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 3:46:21 PM
TJC, thanks for the link to the pictures. The set of 23 photographs was awesome. I would recommend that people go over and check them out.
I especially liked the one with the man holding the sign with a picture of the Catholic bishop muzzling the statue of liberty with a list of landmark civil rights issues from the past that the church has been on the wrong side of.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 4:19:38 PM
Hey Zeke,
Very interesting story. I took an awesome mini video of Gradma's rocking it out on the ConCon - I'll put it on youtube and post it for you.
To answer your question, 'Where were all the antis?' They eventually came - much, much later. It was pretty symbolic. That said, anyone who says it was about 50-50 doesn't know what the hell they were talking about. We had far more people than they did at all points of the day.
Posted by: Ryan | Jun 15, 2007 10:08:10 PM
Glad to hear that Ryan.
Rock on brother!
Congratulations!
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 15, 2007 11:33:13 PM
So I am still confused. We won something? I mean... I'm just so used to being hosed by the legal system that this seems odd. I dont trust it. Do we get divorce too? Or does it require gays and lesbians to marry each other, (satisfying the one man and one woman paradymn) I dont trust this legislation.
Posted by: Thomas | Jun 16, 2007 5:03:22 AM
Zeke,
Gays and lesbians can marry and divorce each other just as any other couple can. It's been that way for over three years now, so you can relax now!
Also, there is a photo of Diane Steele before she was arrested with a truly awful sign: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/549045867/#comment72157600374205753
Good riddance to her and her ilk!
Posted by: Doodle Bean | Jun 16, 2007 12:56:32 PM
Doodle Bean, you think I should relax? I live in the state of Florida, where my Canadian marriage isn't worth the paper it was printed on, and in a country where not even MA gay couples get the federal benefits of marriage. You may be ready to relax. I'm more than happy to celebrate this landmark vote and congratulate the state of Massachusetts, but then it's back to work.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 16, 2007 9:33:14 PM
Zeke, if the benefits really matter that much...you could always move to California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington DC, or Washington State.
But if you're waiting for the State of Florida to act, you'll going to be waiting for a very long time. A wise man I once knew observed that Yankees are far too naive:
"You can't change the South, the South changes you."
Posted by: John | Jun 16, 2007 10:08:04 PM
Sorry John, even if I were to move to CA, CT, HI, ME, MA, NH, NJ, OR, VT, DC or WA, I still wouldn't be willing to relax until Florida and the rest of the country has FULL equality, including marriage equality, for GLBT people in EVERY state and at the federal level.
If my brother isn't free then I'm not free. I know that's a foreign concept to many people but that's just how it works for me.
I
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 17, 2007 12:01:24 AM