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According to Washington Post
An overwhelming majority on the D.C. Council voted today to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, sending the District deeper into the national debate and galvanizing supporters on both sides of the issue.The measure, approved by a vote of 12 to 1, now goes to Mayor Arian M. Fenty (D), a supporter of gay marriage.
If Fenty signs it, the District will put the same-sex marriage issue directly before the Congress. Under Home Rule, the District’s laws are subject to a 30-day congressional review period.
Is this a great day or what? Maine — Washington State — DC. Wow!
UPDATE FROM PAM: The single vote against the bill today was DC council member, the 4x married, ex-con former mayor Marion Barry. He says that if the council decides to pursue a marriage equality bill for the District there will be a “civil war.”
“All hell is going to break lose,” Barry said while speaking to reporters. “We may have a civil war. The black community is just adamant against this.”…Although he has been a longtime supporter of gay rights, Barry said he voted against the bill to satisfy his constituents in Southeast Washington.
“What you’ve got to understand is 98 percent of my constituents are black and we don’t have but a handful of openly gay residents,” Barry said. “Secondly, at least 70 percent of those who express themselves to me about this are opposed to anything dealing with this issue. The ministers think it is a sin, and I have to be sensitive to that.”
How many ways is this pathetic?
1) First, Barry needs to put the crack pipe back down.
2) Blaming his vote on his homophobic constituents is ridiculous.
3) He can make that claim about a “handful of openly gay residents” because too many of the black LGBTs are firmly in a padlocked closet. I don’t know what it will take to get them out of the closet — many attend the very churches that demonize them, HIV/AIDS rates are skyrocketing in the community, and now, the man who represents some of them doesn’t have to acknowledge them.
Video is below the fold.
30 Comments
washington state?is that a typo? what happened there?
Who was the one?Who was the one person on the council who voted against it?
That CrackheadMarion Barry, that’s who and I may have to write a diary on this. That bastard played the race card.
A four times married ex-convict.Real bastion of morality there.
In washtington statethe referendum filed agaisnt our new DP law is being undermined by the anti-lgbt religious establishment! there is division among the professional xtains here as to whether this is a battle they can afford to lose right now. the referendum effort will probably proceed, but now most of its natural allies have shit on it. gotta love it!
Re: Washington StateNot today, but recently (April 15th I think), the Washington State Legislature passed a bill to expand domestic partnership benefits/rights to be equal to marriage.
I think this is why “Washington State” was included.
What a total jerkI’m just as glad we didn’t get his vote (since it wasn’t needed anyway).
Great CompanyYes, that’s who you want to have on your side
I am proud of my ‘state’!!!
Got this Twitter today Via “BreakingNews”I swear I’m not making this up
It said:
Wahington Post: DC Council Member (Marion) Barry asks for new Same Sex Marriage vote because “He didn’t realize what he was voting on”.
WOW – How many brain cells did he leave in the glass pipe?
He later voted no to bring the final tally to 12-1.
Great Couple ?Looks like Maryon Barry and Carrie Prejean turn into the dream spokes persons of the anti-gay lobby. THAT seems to be part of the gay agenda (still waiting to receive my copy in the mail, so I only can make assumptions here) – good luck, NOM!
Thanks for the update PamBut this crackhead had the stunningly unmitigated gall to invoke “the black community” and his statement is so race-baiting and so divisive as to be beyond belief.
Maybe the black gays in his district are closeted but DC has a huge black gay and out population. Which is fine and dandy, but WHERE ARE THEY and why are they not speaking out against this anti-gay bigotry and race-baiting?
Plus, as far as I knowthe churches of these homobigoted ministers are in DC but most of these pastors and even the parishoners live in Maryland. Why should they have a voice in anything that goes on in DC?
Which, unfortunately, is (deliberately?) misreportedThe change in the law extends only Washington state’s STATUTORY benefits of marrige to couples in a domestic partnership, and then only to couples registered in Washington (if your DP is from Vermont, you get squat) and only if the specific law you want benefits from was explicitly listed in the bill. If it was overlooked or otherwise omitted, it has not been amended and remains a special right for heterosexual married couples only.
Rights, protections and priviledges granted by judicial precedent and court rulings — so-called “common law” — are NOT included, as those fall within the exclusive purview of the courts and not the Legislature. And, of course, this has no bearing whatsoever with regards to federal benefits.
To call this a “marriage rights” bill is to celebrate how far African Americans have come, now that there is a “colored hotel” outside town where “those folks” can stay and not have to sleep in a ditch somewhere.
CA to try again in 2010?Anyone hear about this?
exqueeze me?no, i did not deliberately mislabel anything. and you’re right, the dp bill is A DP BILL, not a marriage bill. whoever says otherwise is misrepresenting the facts. see my comment above or about 90% of the diaries i’ve written recently if you want to get up to speed on what is happening in washington state and why the dp bills have been intelligent and highly effective ways to get us some coverage while we continue to work towards marriage.
See Melissa Harris-Lacewell on COUNTDOWN.. speaking of this…….and that ” we need more LGBT spokes people addressing1) the facts of how 'normal' gay families are. 2) That most pedophiles are heterosexual.3) and that teh gay, isn't catching.among other things.
Oh, yeah…Lotsa talk. Lotsa groups trying to get $$$$$.I don't trust any of them so far. Maybe Karen will respond.
I added a link aboveand have already explained it in my response to Lev.
I trust Marc Solomon at EQCAI have no reservations giving them money, knowing he’s in charge of that program. I’ve watched him work for years in MA, and he is incredibly effective. I was especially happy to get an EQCA email from him the other day asking for s-s couples to tell their stories. Something tells me the invisible gays approach of 2008 is being left in the dust. Certainly Marc was not afraid to use Actual LGBT Couples in MA.
Oh yeah, 2010.Tori Osborn made a big statement also, about why wait. Courage Campaign is doing on “street” training and grassroots stuff.
Here’s an example:
http://www.couragecampaign.org…
As for the money thing, I say for myself I’m into giving my time for outreach and education.
This constant give us (whomever ‘us’ is isn’t that the question) $$$$ will not fly this time. Sure money is needed, but foot soldiers more so.
Myself I can hardly wait to overturn this thing. Things are starting to happen.
Orion, must be some grass roots group in your area which will lead the way locally.
I’m also going to try and to to “Meet in the Middle” in Fresno. A big gathering the Saturday after the Court releases it’s ruling.
http://www.meetinthemiddle4equ…
tp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67768456248
See you there, perhaps.
Really.This is only the second time I’ve heard of such an elected council reopening a vote like that. The first was an equally messed up situation, if far more local.
Finger on the problemI strongly think in large part whan EQME is doing right lies first and foremost in 2 things: consistant messaging and in incredible organizing of the volunteers/ grassroots. They represent (I think, don’t quote me) 30 different groups across the state.
Yeah, the $$$ is needed, but the foot soldiers are so very crucial. That’s why I cannot say enough good not only about Betsy Smith of EQME, but field coordinator Darlene Huntress- the woman is amazing and is the freakin’ Energizer Bunny, going even when she is days past exhausted…
Both are terrific women and I have zero doubt that anyone contacting them will get as much information as they could ask for, as well as come away with the same impressions. Heck, everyone in EQME- they are WONDERFUL.
YES!Saw that before collapsing last night and it’s very true.
These were all points brought up at the public hearing and the family stories (thousands at this point, probably) have made SUCH an impact and brought the dialogue so much further than ever before here.
Thanks, Lurleen!/New Jersey?For reporting and also for updating on Washington State. I hadn’t read about the christianist effort undergoing dissension. But in the face of defeat, it’s appropriate thatr for them, “dice are rolling, knives are out.”
Does anyone know what’s going on in New Jersey? Last I heard, there had been plenty of testimony and evidence that DP wasn’t working there. So what’s next?
“The ministers think it is a sin”Uh, Marion, darling, there’s a little thing called separation of church and state. Ever hear of it? Where did you get the idea that it is the business of the government to punish sinners, or to penalize them in any way?
“Sin” is, at best, a subjective concept. The Catholic church, for instance, teaches that it’s a sin to miss Mass on Sunday. Would you vote to prevent people who skip Mass from marrying?
“Sin,” as opposed to crime, is the bailiwick of your pal up there in the clouds. Leave it to him.
As if Marion Barryor these ministers could lecture anyone about sin.
I know (in the the biblical sense!) one minister that for sure, for sure better not be in that crowd.
Who is helping our cause….The opponents with their hellfire arguments and temper tantrums as they envoke God’s wrath on us are really helping our cause. People see this stuff and would rather be associated with the gays!
Yvette Alexandera councilwoman who is African American that actually said the very thing that you mentioned…that the thug tactics of these preachers were turning her off and seem to be making her more inclined to vote for marriage equality in the District once the vote comes up.
http://rodonline.typepad.com/r…
NJ: A bill was introducedand the governor said he will sign it, but it isn’t moving at the moment. Garden State Equality periodically has members contacting selected legislators. I’m not sure what their timeline is, but if I’m not mistaken it could be that the bill is not going to be acted upon until after fall elections. I don’t know the ins and outs of NJ politics. All I know is that GSE is hard at work, actively mobilizing their membership. Advances in CT, VT & now ME must be helping their tipping point.
WashingtonLOL, Washington is a state – there is even Washington State University.
BTW, is it got anything with hip-hop video song for marriage?