Today the New York State Senate voted to deny the right to marry to millions of New Yorkers. I am deeply saddened by the actions of the New York Senate. By choosing to stand on the wrong side of history, they stood also against the wishes of the people of New York - because polls show that a majority of New Yorkers want equality.
I am especially saddened because my Senator, George Onorato, was among those who voted against equality. Senator Onorato stood against the wishes of the people he represents in Western Queens. In March, 2,500 of us rallied for equality. Less than 20 people rallied against. Our Senator once again ignored the voices of the people he represents.
Sadly, today's vote was about much more than a broken Senate that fails to represent the will of the people. It was an immoral decision that denied a fundamental civil right to millions of people. I believe that marriage is a civil right and that the love that many gay people share deserves the same legal protections as the love that my wife and I share.
Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said that "justice delayed is justice denied." Today, the New York Senate again denied justice to our fellow citizens. Dr. King also said that
"the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
Time is on our side. Like our brothers and sisters who marched for interracial marriage, we will win this great struggle for justice. We will get marriage equality in New York. And we will replace those Senators who voted against equal rights.
We are having a rally at 6:00 on Thursday at Union Square Park. Join us. Let's make our voices so loud that the Senate cannot ignore us.
(P.S. Here is some video of my recent marriage. I married the love of my life in September. We're an interracial couple and I realize our marriage is only possible because others stood up for equality before we were even born. We both have a moral obligation to stand up for equal rights for our LGBT friends, so that they can experience what we experience: