General

Gay marriage defeated in New York

Defeat in New York follows failed attempts in California, Maine

A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York was defeated in the state Senate on Wednesday. Though the bill had been passed by the state Assembly, and had the support of Governor David Paterson, it lost decisively in the Senate, by 38 “no” votes to 24 “yes” votes. Thomas Duane, the openly gay state senator who sponsored the bill, vowed to keep fighting for equal marriage rights: “I’m like a dog with a bone,” he said, adding “I don’t give up. I don’t know how to!” The defeat, following similar results in state referenda on gay marriage in California and Maine, creates a bleak landscape for supporters of gay marriage, and (along with the recent election of a Republican governor) may help stymie the New Jersey legislature’s attempt to pass a gay-marriage bill.

Wall Street Journal

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