Well, she promised she'd do this on The View to thunderous applause, and now she has.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand appeared at a Senate press conference to push for marriage equality at the introduction of DOMA repeal legislation. (Representative Jerry Nadler of New York stopped by Kos to let us know about the House efforts, here.)
Gillibrand began by acknowledging a long time friend, Suffolk County legislator Jon Cooper and his husband, referencing their 30 year commitment together and five kids. She notes, they are lifetime New Yorkers who had to leave their home state to be wed.
At times, there's a noticeable hometown spin to her remarks, which is unsurprising, she's been openly leaning on Albany to affect their legislative agenda this year. But she proceeded to give chills to Christian Talibangelicals across the country, she's not stopping at New York's borders: "I look forward to the day in our history when marriage equality is the law of the land – from coast to coast."
When we take [marriage equality] away from millions of couples in America, we don't just limit their freedoms, we limit their happiness, we hold the whole country back. These New Yorkers and people just like them across America are denied access to thousands of rights, privileges and benefits and protections. Protections for access to medical treatments, to tax fairness, the right to visit the person they love in the hospital, even to say goodbye when they are dying. This is a morally and constitutionally wrong and it must change.
When our opponents say marriage is a right reserved for only some in the country, I ask them, "Just what about discrimination do you like? Why would you stand in the way of these Americans in their pursuit of a lifelong commitment, a relationship of responsibility, of love, and of happiness." No matter what the excuse our oppponents may use to stand in our way, this is the direction that history is moving, this is America's future, and there is no denying it. State after state, in every corner of this country, representatives are passing laws to provide the level of fairness for every citizen, that everyone in the this country deserves.
I look forward a day in our own history when marriage equality is the law of the land, from coast to coast, that day is now, it's time has come once and for all to end the injustice that is wrongly enshrined into US Law and make marriage equality a reality for every American. Just as we ended nearly 20 years of injustice in our military when we repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," I know we will prevail for marriage equality too. Together we will create a better America for everyone, no matter who are you, no matter who you love. Thank you.
Now, I know, I know, mean old Speaker Boehner loves DOMA so much he's going to spend taxpayer money to hire private lawyers to defend DOMA. He'll never let it come to a vote, this is just posturing for the cameras.
Yes, I've heard it all before. I'm sorry, I'm going to have to enlist one of the other indomitable women of gay iconography to help make my case, after the fold.
Do you think it's ever going to be an EASY thing to accomplish?! You want hard?! Try a double full-down! That's HARD!
If they waited until it was easy, a quick vote whip, and an easy hand-off to the President, well then, we'll be lucky if Sasha Obama's granddaughter gets the chance to sign the darn bill.
Some things are hard. And some things take awhile. And if it's gonna take ten years to repeal DOMA (and it very well could) well, I say cheers for starting the clock now! Cheers to landmarking 2011 as the year we got a bill introduced into both houses.
Do you know the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 was introduced into the 109th Congress in 2006? And it failed to pass in 2006. Or 2007. It was reintroduced into the 110th Congress in 2008 and failed to pass that year. And failed to pass in 2009 too.
Thank God for all those suffering rescue workers, their allies didn't just say, "Gosh, this looks like it's going to be tough and take awhile. Let's not try. Let's do something easy. Like pass tax cuts for millionaires." No, they went back, and tried again. In fact, this woman, Kirsten Gillibrand, is one of the ones who went back and tried again. And that's all part of the process.
We don't know what the future is going to hold. And odds are perhaps good, DOMA will be struck down by the courts. But only a fool would count on such a thing. And if we lose at the Supreme Court (not out the question) I, personally would rather we NOT begin the legislative fight having zero ground velocity. Particularly since the loss will inevitably fill many with a sense of defeat, hopelessness and despair.
Bills are more than just a means to an end. They are very helpful tools. They are a measure of progress. Remember "Bill" from Schoolhouse Rock? Remember what he said on Capital Hill? He said, "I'm one of the lucky ones, most Bills don't even get this far."
This isn't a just good idea anymore. Repeal isn't merely a pipe dream, or a wish list item. Now, it's a tangible goal to shoot for. There is a sponsors list to fill, and mean old Speaker Boehner can't stop us from doing that.
Yes. Speaker Boehner controls the floor votes. But he doesn't control your Representative, and certainly not your Senator.
Are they a sponsor of the House or the Senate version? If so, give 'em a thank you in whatever way you do.
If they're not, ask 'em why not? Senator Gillibrand has a helpful frame. Ask 'em as she did:
“Just what about discrimination do you like?"
Do you know when a good time to ask them is?
Oh, in the coming year, when they're on the stump, asking for your money, time and votes. When they're promising they're not going to be like that awful teabagger your neighbors just made the mistake of voting in. That's a very good time to ask them where they stand on DOMA repeal. Take notes. Get it on videotape if you can.
It may come in handy.
Is it possible that eight years of George W. Bush's foreboding veto pen put a damper on the march toward equality? Possibly.
But, we don't have to let Speaker Boehner have the same chilling effect. The reality is, between the three people that ultimately control what comes out of Washington, DC, the House Speaker, the Senate Majority leader and the President, how often can we actually depend on all three of them be supportive of progressive goals? We have to bring the mandate of the people to them.
Folks we're shooting to control the House, Senate and White House after 2012. And with the country reeling from Republican overreach that's beginning to look like that's not just crazy talk.
How about we sweep back into power ready to pull the trigger on full LGBT equality? How about we show the Speaker Pelosi (Take 2!) there's a viable DOMA repeal bill with a long list of sponsors? How about we show Senator Reid the same?
I'm personally very proud of my Senator for moving the conversation forward. I'm proud of her for introducing Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper and his husband to the country, so they can see how truly frightening a gay family really is. (See picture above.)
And you know what else? All the gay advocacy groups in the country, like Human Rights Campaign and Gay And Lesbian Task Force, can't buy the kind of mass-market messaging that Senators Gilibrand, Feinstein, Representative Nadler and the others are out there doing for LGBT community, right now. For free.
They are going to appear on this bill's behalf on CNN, MSNBC, and countless other places. They're going to be asked about it in interviews, fundraisers and in personal appearances. They are going to make the case on behalf of equality in states across the country. And with stump speeches like Gillibrand just gave, our fight is clearly in good hands. This will help us immeasurable in the various battlegrounds in 2011 and 2012 where our right to marry is being debated by legislators and--God help us--the voters.
So I just say thank you, Senators Feinstein, Leahy, Gillibrand and the other 16, and let's get to work putting the rest of them on the spot.
Now sign Democracy for America's Repeal DOMA petition here. And go out an give your Senators and Representatives heck. Ask 'em:
“Just what about discrimination do you like?"
The full transcript of Senator Gillibrand's remarks:
Thank you. I am honored to stand today with my colleagues, and this strong coalition of leaders and amazing advocates in the fight for equality in America.
I want to thank my colleagues, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Jerry Nadler in the House, who have been leading the fight for marriage equality throughout their entire careers.
And my friend, Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper and his partner Robert, who have been together for three decades, are both lifelong New Yorkers – and loving parents to 5 beautiful children. But despite this lifetime of commitment and responsibility, they still had to leave their native New York to codify their love for each other – for no other reason than being gay.
Jon and Robert know as well as anyone just what this fight is all about, and what’s at stake. Thank you, for your dedicated advocacy, and for joining our fight in Congress.
The right to get married and start a family is a basic, human right that must be shared by all Americans.
Every loving, committed couple in America deserves this right. No politician can rightly stand in the way of this fact.
Marriage is the foundation for strong families. It gives couples the base they need to build a lasting life together, start a family, and put their children on a path to a successful future.
I hear inspiring stories from New Yorkers almost every day, who have been in committed relationships for years, often decades, and want nothing more than the chance to solidify their love and commitment for each other through marriage – the same as everyone else.
When we take that away from millions of couples in America – we don’t just limit their freedoms and happiness. We hold our whole country back.
These New Yorkers, and people just like them across America, are denied access to thousands of protections and rights – from access to medical treatment, to tax fairness, to the right to visit the person they love the most in the hospital – even to say goodbye as they are dying.
This is morally and constitutionally wrong, and it must change.
When our opponents say that marriage is a right reserved for only some in this country, I ask them, just what is it about discrimination that you like? Why would you stand in the way of these Americans in their pursuit of a lifelong commitment and happiness?
No matter what the excuse our opponents may use to stand in the way, this is the direction that history is moving. This is America’s future. There is no denying it. State after state, in every corner of America, representatives are passing laws to provide the level of fairness that every citizen of this country deserves.
I look forward to the day in our history when marriage equality is the law of the land – from coast to coast. That day is now. It is time, once and for all, to end the injustice that is wrongly enshrined into U.S. law, and make marriage equality a reality for every American.
Just as we ended nearly 20 years of injustice in our military when we repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I know we will prevail for marriage equality too.
Together, we will create a better America for everyone, no matter who you are, or who you love. Thank you.
Update Forbes has a lovely gallery of shots from the Press Conference, including this one of Senator Gillibrand speaking with Edie Windsor, New Yorker and plaintiff in the ACLU's Court Challenge of DOMA, Windsor vs. United States.