Major Rallies For and Against Marriage Equality Ring Out in New York

 

Thousands of people attended a rally on Avenue of the Americas near Times Square yesterday sponsored by Broadway Impact in support of marriage equality in New York. A short time before that, state Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. bussed in approximately 10,000 evangelical bigots for an anti-gay rally of his own on Third Avenue in front of the Governor's office.

Attending the marriage equality rally were  Paterson, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, Empire State Pride Agenda executive director Alan van Capelle, statee Senator Tom Duane, and entertainers Cynthia Nixon (who announced her engagement to fiancee Christine Marinoni), Cheyenne Jackson, Audra McDonald, and Gavin Creel and the cast of Hair.

Joe.My.God has posted some great photos of the event. World of Wonder has an excellent gallery as well.

NYT: "Mr. Paterson, who appeared along with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (right: image NYDN) and other state and city leaders at a rally of gay rights activists near Rockefeller Center on Sunday afternoon, did not initially plan to attend. His last-minute appearance, which came just a few hours after thousands of same-sex marriage opponents held a much larger demonstration outside the governor’s Midtown Manhattan office, underscored the high stakes at issue in the Senate vote. 'We’re in a race right now in New York,' the governor told a crowd of several hundred people who gathered along Avenue of the Americas. 'The time for justice, the time for equality, the time for equal rights can never be any more urgent than right now.'"

The state legislature adjourns in six weeks. Sen. Tom Duane pleaded to the crowd: "There are 18 days left in the Senate session. I need your help."

Video blocks, AFTER THE JUMP... A compilation of speakers at the event - Governor David Paterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Cynthia Nixon, Audra McDonald, the cast of Hair performs "Let the Sunshine In", and Cheyenne Jackson sings "If I Can Dream", AFTER THE JUMP...

Broadway Stars to Rally for Marriage Equality in NYC on Sunday

Broadway Impact, the Empire State Pride Agenda, and Marriage Equality New York are putting on a major rally in NYC's Times Square on Sunday from 5-7 pm at Sixth Avenue and 44th street.

According to Broadway Impact, "Audra McDonald, four-time Tony winner and star of ABC’s Private Practice, Cheyenne Jackson, star of Broadway's All Shook Up and Xanadu, and television’s Ugly Betty, will be singing and speaking out on the issue. Speakers in attendance will consist of Senator Tom Duane, who is sponsoring the marriage equality bill in the State Senate and New York State Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, brother of Broadway veteran Rosie O’Donnell. 

Hair's Tony-nominee Gavin Creel is hosting the event and will lead his fellow cast members in a performance from the show. Said Creel: “I am thrilled that we are able to come together as a community to urge people to take direct action by calling their State Senators. This peaceful rally is going to be about love – and the right to marry whoever it is that you love.”

More info here.