New Hampshire Senate passes gay-marriage bill

New Hampshire's Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would legalize same-sex marriage after an amendment was added that allows clergy to decline to marry gay couples.

The bill, which passed in a 13-11 vote, needs to be signed by Governor John Lynch to make New Hampshire the fifth U.S. state where gay marriage is legal. The Democrat has not indicated whether he will sign or veto the bill, but has expressed opposition to the measure.

The bill passed the state's House of Representatives on March 26 but looked set for near certain defeat in the Senate before the amendment, which appeared to mollify some critics in the Democratic-controlled chamber.

The last-minute changes to the legislation would allow clergy to decline to marry homosexual couples and give couples the freedom to either keep the words "bride" and "groom" on marriage licenses, or use the word "spouse" instead.

Because the Senate and House passed separate versions, they must resolve their differences before the bill can go to the governor, who in 2007 signed a law recognizing same-sex civil unions, making New Hampshire the fourth state to do so.

Lynch has said the word marriage should be reserved for a traditional heterosexual relationship.
The bill, which would take effect on January 1, also recognizes out-of-state gay marriages and civil unions. Couples who now have civil unions would automatically become married by January 1, 2011. The extra year allows time for a formal ceremony.

Gay marriage made big inroads this month when, in a single week, Iowa and Vermont joined Massachusetts and Connecticut in allowing gay couples to legally wed. On Tuesday, a joint judiciary committee in neighboring Maine's legislature approved a bill to allow same-sex marriage. Maine's House and Senate could vote on the measure as early as next week.

In California, gay marriage advocates are hoping to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 constitutional amendment that banned gay marriage there, in the state's highest court.

CULTURAL SHIFT
New Hampshire in 1987 outlawed same-sex marriages. In 2004, after Massachusetts' top court allowed gay couples to marry, New Hampshire passed a law that would not recognize gay marriages from out of state.

But elections in 2006 signaled big political and cultural changes, giving Democrats majorities in both chambers of the legislature for the first time since 1874 in a state that was long a stronghold of moderate Republicans.

New Hampshire state Senator Lou D'Allesandro was the only Democrat to side with 10 Republicans against the legislation, which would redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. He cited his "traditional family values."

Democratic state Senator Deborah Reynolds, who opposed the bill at committee level, changed her vote after the amendment.

"This is a compromise that is respectful to both sides of this debate and meets our shared goal of equality under state law for all the people of New Hampshire," Reynolds said.

Senate Republicans said discrimination remains in the bill, which Democrats said would ensure gay couples no longer received a "separate but equal" civil union distinction.

"Marriage for centuries has the traditional meaning of one man and one woman, and we believe that term should not be co-opted to be used for other purposes," said Republican Peter Bragdon, the Senate minority leader.

House passes inclusive hate crimes bill

The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998, would provide local police and sheriff’s departments with federal resources to combat hate violence.

“No one should face violence simply because of who they are,” said Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “This bill is a critical step to erasing the hate that has devastated far too many families.”

Wednesday morning, just hours before the vote, President Obama urged Congress to pass the bill.

” I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association,” the President said in a statement.

” I also urge the Senate to work with my Administration to finalize this bill and to take swift action.”

During debate on the bill, prior to the vote, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) alleged that it was a “hoax” that the slaying of Matthew Shepard’s had anything to do with him being gay.

“That young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery, it wasn’t because he was gay,” said Foxx.

The Senate version of the bill was filed this week by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). It still needs to go to committee before being voted on in the full Senate.

[I am not trying to make a personal attack or anything... but seriously, is Virginia Foxx a c_nt or what?!?]

NH Senate votes for gay marriage

The New Hampshire Senate on Wednesday passed legislation that would make the state the fifth in the nation to grant marriage equality.

The 13-11 vote came despite a recommendation last week by the Senate Judiciary Committee that it be rejected.

The chair of the committee, Sen. Deborah Reynolds (D) was one of those who recommended voting against the bill, but on Wednesday she voted for it, saying since the committee meeting she had heard from a large number of constituents who favored the bill.

Republicans voted in a block against the measure, along with one Democrat.

The bill was amended prior to the vote to draw a distinction between civil and religious weddings - allowing churches which do not approve of gay relationships to refuse to conduct ceremonies.

Last month the bill passed the House on a 186-179 vote, but the House will need to vote on this bill again, since it was amended by the Senate.

If it passes the House a second time, it will head to the desk of Gov. Gov. John Lynch who has said he believes the current civil union law works fine, but has not said if he would veto the bill.

Australian Government Rejects Civil Unions

Australian government rejects civil unions: "The Government’s response equated the proposal with same-sex marriage equality, saying the no gay unions policy 'reflects the widely held view in the community that marriage is between a man and a woman'. But the Government confirmed it still intends to recognise and support same-sex families through its community and social inclusion strategies, and convince NSW, QLD, SA, WA and NT to implement relationship registers."

Said Australian Marriage Equality advocates spokesman Peter Furness: "Opinion polls consistently show that a majority of Australians support same-sex marriage, making a nonsense of the Government's stated belief that its policy 'reflects a widely held view in the community'. The Rudd government has shown that its vision for the future is blinkered by prejudices from the past."

Maine Moves Toward Marriage Equality

The house judiciary committee voted Tuesday that LD 1020, An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom, "ought to pass."

The legislation moved forward with a vote of 11 to 3.

Now it heads to the full senate.

Iowa gay foes pledge to reverse gay marriage

Iowa opponents of same-sex marriage say they will fight to reverse the court ruling allowing gays to wed, no matter how long it takes.

Same-sex couples began marrying Monday following the state Supreme Court ruling this month striking down a law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples.

Republicans and social conservatives are now planning on making it an election issue in 2010.

GOP lawmakers blame Democrats for thwarting attempts to advance a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and say they intend to make it a campaign issue.

“Whether it be the pursuit of a constitutional amendment to give Iowans the right to vote on this issue; the establishment of residency requirements to obtain marriage licenses; or the appointment of future judges — none of these options are possible as long as Chet Culver remains governor and Democrats control the Iowa Legislature,” Paulsen, McKinley and Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn said in a statement to the media.

Methodists bar gay marriage ceremonies

United Methodist clergy cannot perform same-sex marriages or gay civil unions even if their regional church district supports the idea, the denomination’s high court ruled.

The Judicial Council said that a church district or annual conference cannot “negate, ignore or violate” churchwide discipline, even if they disagree with the policy.

Last year, the top church legislative body, or General Conference, voted to retain its ban on same-sex marriages and ban clergy from performing the ceremonies or consecrating same-gender unions in the church. Pastors who violate the discipline risk losing their clergy credentials.

The council decision, released Monday after a court meeting in Denver, came in the case of two regional Methodist groups that had issued resolutions supporting clergy who perform same-gender marriages.

The California-Nevada Annual Conference had backed retired pastors who perform the ceremonies. The California-Pacific Conference had recognized “the pastoral need and prophetic authority of our clergy and congregations to offer the ministry of marriage ceremonies for same-gender couples.”

The state Supreme Court in California had approved gay marriage last year, but voters reinstated a ban on same-gender marriage last November through the Proposition 8 ballot measure.

Howard Stern: We Must Make Gay Marriage Acceptable

Howard Stern issued a strong message of support for gay people on his show today, in only the way Howard can. I've edited out some of the dirty bits, but here is some of it:

"My feeling about gay people is that we have a responsibility not only to make gay marriage acceptable and to make gays feel accepted as much as heterosexuals...Gay people are downtrodden They are beaten. They are abused for their sexuality, and it goes across race. In the white community and the black community gay people are the bastards of the world. And in order for things to change, because any one of you could have gay children, or gay relatives, or gay friends...we have a responsibility to make this acceptable, to get all this bullshit so that some gay kid going to high school doesn't get the shit beaten out of him just because he's gay...I'm as heterosexual as they come. What is this hang-up about gay marriage? Who cares? Get on with your life!"

Gavin Newsom on politics, california, and same-sex marriage

Gay marriage support jumps 10 percent in month

A new national public opinion poll has found support for same-sex marriage has jumped nearly 10 percent in the past month.

The CBS News/New York Times poll found that 42 percent of Americans believe same-sex couples should have the right to marry. Last month a CBS/Times poll found support at 33 percent.

The new poll is the highest support for gay marriage since CBS news began asking public opinion in 2004 the network said on Tuesday.

The new poll also found that opposition to gay marriage is on a steady decline with 28 percent saying same-sex couples should have no legal rights. Only 25 percent told CBS/Times pollsters that gays should have civil unions but not marriage.

CBS reported that support for gay marriage remains strongest among people who identify as liberals, with 69 percent supporting same-sex marriage.

The poll was conducted among a random sample of 973 adults nationwide and interviewed by telephone between April 22 and 26. The margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points.

The timing of the poll was significant. It came after three key same-sex marriage advances - the Iowa Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex marriage in that state, the Vermont legislature’s legalizing of gay marriage and the announcement by New York Gov. David Paterson (D) calling for legalized same-sex marriage in that state.

Gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa. Legislation is before the legislatures in Maine and New Hampshire. In California, the Supreme Court is expected to rule in the coming weeks on the legality of Prop 8 the voter approved measure banning gay marriage in that state.

Iowa’s Supreme Court ruling went into effect Monday with nearly 400 same-sex couples obtaining marriage licenses. Dozens of them were able to find judges willing to waive the state’s three-day waiting and wed.

New Hampshire Senate to Vote on Marriage Equality

The full New Hampshire senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday on marriage equality legislation that would make the state the fifth in the nation to legalize same-sex civil marriage.

Last week, the senate judiciary committee voted 3-2 to recommend that the Democratically-controlled chamber kill the marriage equality bill. Committee chairperson Deborah Reynolds, a Democrat, joined two Republicans, saying that New Hampshire needed more time to build consensus on the issue.

The committee’s recommendation will get the first vote tomorrow, with support from 13 of the 24 senators needed to kill the bill, according to Reuters. Should the vote split 12-12, or if the majority wants the bill to survive, the senate could consider a motion to pass it.

The bill could also be tabled indefinitely. But if it were to pass, Governor John Lynch is likely to veto it. The Democrat has expressed his preference for the same-sex civil unions already legal in New Hampshire.

When the full senate votes on Wednesday, all 10 Republicans are expected to oppose the marriage equality legislation. Support from the 14 Democrats appears mixed, according to the blog, BlueHampshire.com. Two Democrats are apt to vote against the bill, another appears to be leaning that way, three are undecided, and eight are in favor of marriage equality legislation.

Utah AG Challenges Gov on Civil Unions

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is challenging statements from Governor Jon Huntsman last week that the state constitution is unclear on the legality of civil unions.

At his monthly press conference on Thursday, Governor Huntsman said that courts may ultimately need to decide whether the constitutional amendment voters approved to ban same-sex marriage also applies to civil unions.

Shurtleff has replied that Utah’s constitution clearly prohibits same-sex marriage and civil unions, and that a legal challenge has no merit, reports KTVX ABC 4 in Salt Lake City.

In 2004, Utah voters passed Amendment 3, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and bans any equivalent unions. Huntsman, a Republican, supported the measure when running for office.

Huntsman announced his support for same-sex civil unions and a package of basic LGBT rights proposals in February.

The governor, who enjoys high approval ratings in Utah, is considered a strong Republican presidential prospect for 2012.

Signs G.O.P. Is Rethinking Stance on Gay Marriage

It was only five years ago that opposition to gay marriage was so strong that Republicans explicitly turned to the issue as a way to energize conservative voters. Yet today, as the party contemplates the task of rebuilding itself, some Republicans say the issue of gay marriage may be turning into more of a hindrance than a help.

Outrage Trailer - Do Ask Do Tell

Outrage, the new documentary by Kirby Dick. looks at the anti-gay hypocrisy in Washington D.C. and the media's complicity.




Former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey left the premiere on Friday night, according to the Washington Blade's Kevin Naff.

Writes Naff: "McGreevey is reportedly upset that his ex-wife Dina was interviewed for the project. She’s still playing the wounded, naïve victim – supposedly unaware her husband was having sex with men at rest stops and cheating on her with male staffers. Dina, like her ex-husband, is a talented actor. In the film, she laments being duped and claims her life and that of her daughter were 'destroyed.' Not to be outdone, McGreevey manages crocodile tears while recounting how he prayed to his dead grandmother after coming out, relieved that he could finally live his 'truth.' Bravo! Oscars for both of them. McGreevey only came out and resigned to avoid prosecution for far worse offenses than being a lying closet case. The gay community must resist the urge to elevate this joker to hero status."

Iceland Elects World's First Openly Gay Leader

“Our time has come!” said Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, the 66 year-old newly elected Prime Minister of Iceland, who just happens to be the world's first openly gay national elected leader. Sigurdardóttir served as PM for the last three months in an interim capacity after Iceland's government collapsed in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, which bankrupted the small island nation, which had built its economy up in recent years as a freewheeling banking haven. Her election over the weekend is not just a victory for gays and lesbians, but also for women– she is the nation's first female prime minister and Icelandic newspapers are proudly pointing out that with this election, which sent more women to the Althing than ever before, the nation now ranks 4th in the world for female participation in government. But what challenges face the world's first openly gay elected leader?

A former airline attendant who became interested in politics by way of unions, presiding on boards of various airline related trade unions before being elected to the Althing in 1978 as a Social Democrat. Much like in the U.S., Iceland has spent the last 40 years becoming increasingly conservative politically and so Sigurdardóttir found herself in the opposition party again and again. In 1994 she ran to be the leader of the party and lost, leading her to say her equivalent of "Change is coming!", "Minn tími mun koma!" ("My time will come!").

At the same time, Sigurdardóttir was discovering her own sexuality later in life. After raising two sons with her husband, the couple divorced and Sigurdardóttir began a relationship with Icelandic journalist and playwright Jónína Leósdóttir. In 2002, they were joined in a civil union.

Ingo Sigfusson of Iceland's public broadcaster, RUV told the BBC that when it comes to the Prime Minister's sexuality:

"It's by no means a big deal. It's been reported, but it's not something the public is focusing on. . . On the one hand, Iceland is a fairly liberal, tolerant country when it comes to homosexuality. On the other hand, she's never been particularly public about her private life, even though her partner is listed on the parliament's website.…Whom the new prime minister crawls into bed with at night seems to be fairly far down the list of priorities for people."

'Etiquette Guide' for Thai Monks

It is customary for Thai men to enter the monkhood for training at least once
A Buddhist preacher in Thailand has announced plans for new guidelines aimed at curbing the flamboyant behaviour of gay and transgender monks.

The "good manners" curriculum - the country's first - is being introduced in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

The senior monk told the BBC he was particularly concerned by effeminate activities among novices such as the wearing of make-up and tight robes.

More than 90% of the Thai population are followers of Buddhism.

The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says tales of monks behaving badly are nothing new in Thailand.

In recent years, they have been accused of abuses of their exalted position in society that range from amassing dozens of luxury cars, to running fake amulet scams, to violating their vows of celibacy, our correspondent says.

Senior monk Phra Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi told the BBC he would address issues like smoking, drinking alcohol, walking and going to the toilet properly, which are all detailed in the traditional 75 Dharma principles of Buddhism, and the 227 precepts for monks.

He was especially concerned, he said, by the flamboyant behaviour of gay and transgender monks, who can often be seen wearing revealingly tight robes, carrying pink purses and having effeminately-shaped eyebrows.

Thailand has a very large and visible population of transgender men, and Phra Vajiramedhi acknowledged that it was difficult to exclude them from the monkhood but he hoped his course could at least persuade them to curb their more extrovert habits.

If successful, the "good manners" course, at the Novice Demonstration School, would be replicated at other Buddhist monasteries and seminaries, he said.

Presbyterians again reject gay clergy

Efforts to allow gays and lesbians to serve as clergy in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) were defeated again, sealed by votes Saturday.

But the margin of defeat - the final tally has yet to be determined - is already guaranteed to be much closer than in previous years. That is encouraging for gay clergy supporters and concerning to opponents, with both sides expecting the issue to be revisited in the future.

Today Iowa officially becomes 3rd state where gays can legally wed

Iowa becomes the third state where same-sex couples can legally wed, following Massachusetts and Iowa. Vermont has legalized gay marriage effective Sept. 1. Gay marriage was legal in California for five months, until a state referendum to ban it passed last fall.

Volunteers were expected to be handing out bouquets to newly married couples Monday in five of Iowa’s larger cities.

Maryfrances Evans, 46, and Stephanie McFarland, 39, plan to hold their ceremony Friday, performed by the same judge who finalized the adoptions of their two daughters, now 5 and 3.

"It’s all about me having the legal right to protect my family, and it’s about my daughters being able to grow up knowing that their family is absolutely as valid as any other family," said Evans, who lives in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale.

The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimated Iowa had 5,800 same-sex couples in 2005, and said U.S. Census figures reported about 19 percent of gay and lesbian couples in Iowa were raising children.

Masters and Johnson 'Gay Conversion' Studies Exposed as Fraud

Oft-cited by right-wing religious groups and the Catholic church, the 1979 Homosexuality in Perspective book by sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson, has nothing to back it up, we learn, 30 years later...

"Back in 1979, on Meet The Press and countless other TV appearances, Masters and Johnson touted their book, Homosexuality in Perspective—a 14-year study of more than 300 homosexual men and women—hoping to build on their groundbreaking sex studies of heterosexuals that had helped ignite America's sexual revolution...When the clinic's top associate, Robert Kolodny, asked to see the files and to hear the tape-recordings of these 'storybook' cases, Masters refused to show them to him. Kolodny—who had never seen any conversion cases himself—began to suspect some, if not all, of the conversion cases were not entirely true. When he pressed Masters, it became ever clearer to him that these were at best composite case studies made into single ideal narratives, and at worst they were fabricated. Eventually Kolodny approached Virginia Johnson privately to express his alarm. She, too, held similar suspicions about Masters' conversion theory, though publicly she supported him. The prospect of public embarrassment, of being exposed as a fraud, greatly upset Johnson, a self-educated therapist who didn't have a college degree and depended largely on her husband's medical expertise..."

Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unclear in Utah?

Utah governor Jon Huntsman told reporters on Thursday that his state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is unclear on the legality of civil unions, and would ultimately need to be decided by a court, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.

In 2004, Utah voters passed Amendment 3, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and bans any equivalent unions. Huntsman supported the measure when running for office.

Governor Huntsman announced his support for civil unions and the Common Ground legislative initiative for basic LGBT rights in February. None of the Common Ground proposals passed this session.

Huntsman currently enjoys approval ratings near 80% and is widely considered a Republican presidential prospect for 2012.

Shara Palin and Fundraising Firm Part Ways

Campaign Solutions, a Republican consulting firm advising Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's political action committee, has parted ways with the former Republican vice presidential nominee.

The group had been working with the Palin operation to raise money for SarahPAC but decided to step aside after a series of strategic and philosophic differences, according to a source familiar with the decision.

A spokeswoman for Palin did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Campaign Solutions head Becki Donatelli had long been associated with the fundraising efforts of Arizona Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and got to know Palin during last year's presidential campaign.

When Palin decided to set up a PAC earlier this year as a first step toward solidifying her role on the national stage and potentially positioning herself for a 2012 presidential run, Donatelli's firm was the obvious choice to help raise money for the fledgling effort.

SarahPAC formally incorporated in late January but is not required to file a report detailing its contributions and expenditures until the end of June.

The parting of ways between Palin and Campaign Solutions is the latest sign of a divide between the governor's official Alaska staff and those advising her on the national level. Palin has struggled badly to balance those competing interests; she recently agreed to and then canceled an appearance at a fundraiser to benefit the Republican House and Senate campaign committees.

The news of the latest problem in Palin's political world comes on the same day that the Alaska governor announced the formation of the Alaska Fund Trust, an official legal fund designed to "defend the integrity of the Alaska Governor's Office from an onslaught of political attacks launched against current Governor Sarah Palin, the First Family, and state-employed colleagues," according to a mission statement on the organization's Web site.

It also comes less than 24 hours after Levi Johnston, the former fiancee of her daughter, Bristol, appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" to discuss his relationship with the Palins.

Cock flavored soup too risque for supermarket

A UK supermarket chain was forced to relocate a popular Jamaican soup brand after complaints from shoppers who find the packaging inappropriate.

Cock soup has long been a staple in Jamaican-style cooking, but the product’s signature rooster and ‘cock’ label has caused a rukus among children in the store.

A spokesperson for the chain told The Sun:
“We know that many shoppers love this tasty Jamaican classic. But to help out a few of the embarrassed mums we’ve moved it up to the top shelf.”

New Hampshire Panel: Kill Gay Marriage and Trans Rights Bills

The New Hampshire state senate judiciary committee recommended on Thursday that the full senate reject bills that would legalize same-sex civil marriage and expand antidiscrimination protections for transgender individuals.

While the votes do not bind the full senate, they make it unlikely that either bill will be revived on the floor next week, reports the Union Leader.

The committee voted 3-2 to reject the marriage-equality bill, with chair Deborah Reynolds, a Democrat, joining two Republicans in opposing the measure. Reynolds said that she did not believe New Hampshire was ready for same-sex marriage, according to the Associated Press.

Last month the bill passed the house by a vote of 186-179.

Levi Johnston & Family On Larry King Live

[okay, does it really surprise anyone that Levi really didn’t want to marry her or that the Palin’s pressured him for political reasons, or that they didn’t get married. And she wants to protect “traditional marriage,” please!]

And the Miss California controversy rages on...

Last night Roland Martin and Michelangelo Signorile debated the issue on AC360.



Equality California has invited Miss California, Carrie Prejean, "to meet with leaders from her home state lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations, LGBT students and a family headed by a same-sex couple to start a dialogue about who LGBT people are and the harm that is caused by denying LGBT community members equality."

"This isn't just about marriage. It never has been. It never will be. Those who oppose our equality want us ostracized. They want us gone...I have to believe that if she meets us, she will come to see our humanity and support our equality. At the very least, I hope she will realize that what she says in her public position as Miss California can either hurt people or bring them together. She can make a difference. I hope she will."

And another judge, Alicia Jacobs, speaks out: "I think it was a completely relevant question to ask. All of the judges' questions were meant to be topical, and, my gosh, certainly gay marriage is topical. It’s an important issue and one that most states are talking about as we speak. I mean, my home state of Nevada -- right now there’s legislation going on."

Ugandan Paper Outs More Than 50 "Top Homos"

A newspaper in Uganda, a country with hostile views against homosexuality, listed dozens of gay individuals, including their names, occupations, physical descriptions, HIV status, and partners. The report names ordinary people like bartenders and bankers.

"This is a killer dossier," the report reads. "A heat-pounding and sensational masterpiece that largely exposes Uganda's shameless men and unabashed women that have deliberately exported the western evils to our dear and sacred society. They have been influential in spreading the gay and lesbian vices in schools to kill the morals of our lovely kids!!"

The New England-ish Marriage Summary

Connecticut Codifies Court's Marriage Ruling

Legislators in Connecticut voted on Wednesday to update the state’s marriage laws to conform to last year’s supreme court ruling that legalized same-sex civil marriage.

Under the new law, marriage in Connecticut will be redefined as the legal union of two people, reports the Associated Press. Previously, state law defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The bill was amended to protect religious liberties. Religious groups are not required to facilitate same-sex marriage ceremonies by providing services or facilities.

Governor M. Jodi Rell, a Republican, will sign the bill, which passed 28-7 in the senate and 100-44 in the house. The Republican governor, who also signed the 2005 civil-union law, has said that she personally believes marriage should be between opposite-sex partners.

While the state supreme court legalized same-sex marriage with a 4-3 ruling in October, the new legislation is needed to phase out civil unions and help same-sex couples conform to state marriage laws. Civil unions not already dissolved or annulled will become marriages as of October 1, 2010.


New Jersey Supports Marriage Equality, Poll Shows

In a Quinnipiac University poll released this morning, 49% of New Jersey voters surveyed said they support marriage equality, with 43% opposed.

The findings defy the television ad campaign against marriage equality from the National Organization for Marriage, which reportedly had its strongest buy in New Jersey.

The Quinnipiac poll, which surveyed 2,222 New Jerseyans from April 14 through 20, reflects other recent independent polls that show the state favoring marriage equality. Its margin of error was 2.1%.

Legislators in New Jersey are expected to consider a marriage-equality bill after the gubernatorial election in November.

“Legislators, take note,” said Steve Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, the New Jersey gay rights advocacy group. “No matter what lies our opponents throw on television, New Jersey stands by marriage equality and will stand by you when you vote to end discrimination in marriage in 2009.”


Paterson Softens Push for Marriage-Equality Vote

New York governor David Paterson appears to be softening in his insistence that state legislators put his marriage-equality bill to a vote whether or not it is certain to pass, according to a report this morning on WNYC-FM.

“My point was not to dictate to Senator Smith what he should be doing,” said the governor, referring to senate majority leader Malcolm Smith. “I've got enough problems. My point was just to raise an issue which I think has just frustrated me in my days as a legislator,” the station reported.

When Paterson announced that he would introduce a marriage-equality bill last Thursday, he invoked civil rights momentum and reform of state government to argue that Democratic leaders should bring the legislation to a vote regardless of the outcome. He mentioned that in his 21-year career as a senator, the vote outcome was uncertain for only three bills out of 36,980 introduced.

Senator Smith has said repeatedly that he will bring the marriage-equality bill to the floor when it has the votes to pass. The legislation is expected to pass the assembly, as it did in 2007, but it needs bipartisan support in the senate, where Democrats hold a slim 32-30 majority.

A Siena poll released on Monday showed that while 53% of New York voters surveyed support passage of a marriage-equality bill, Paterson’s approval rating stands at 27%.


Maine Gay Marriage Bill Gets Standing Ovation

A public hearing on allowing gay marriage in Maine has opened with a standing ovation for the bill's sponsor.

Sen. Dennis Damon received a roar of approval at a crowded hearing Wednesday when he said the time has come to recognize same-sex marriages.

He says his proposal "recognizes the worth of every man and woman among us." It is backed by 60 co-sponsors.

Gay rights activists have set a goal of establishing same-sex marriage in all six New England states by 2012. They're already halfway there.

The bill's prospects are uncertain in Maine. Gov. John Baldacci previously opposed the bill but now says he's keeping an open mind.

Southern Californians, You Too Can Get Online Solar Power Cost Quotes

If you live in California, getting a quote on how much it will cost to install solar power for your home really doesn't get much easier than this... Give Sungevity your home address and an email address and just sit back.

'Gay Cure' Conference Comes to London

Next weekend London hosts a conference advocating techniques for men and women to be cured of their homosexuality. The Anglican Mainstream Organization, a group devoted to the conservative tenets of the Church of England, is holding the event, which plans to have “a special focus on how religious professionals and friends/relatives can respond biblically and pastorally to those struggling with unwanted SSA (same-sex attraction).” Despite scientific evidence suggesting human sexuality cannot be changed, attempts by religious groups and some therapists to de-homosexualize people continue. Shockingly, a recent study found that a sixth of Britain’s registered therapists and psychiatrists have attempted to cure patients of their homosexuality. The conference is deemed “ideal for clergy, rabbis, psychologists, therapists, educators and others concerned about the plethora of sexual issues confronting us in today’s society, including mentoring the sexually broken, the sexualization of culture, pornography, the Bible and sex, and marriage, the family and sex.” Notoriously anti-gay guest speakers will appear at the event, including Joseph Nicolosi, of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, and Jeffrey Satinover, who is an outspoken advocate against gay civil rights based on his belief that sexual orientation is a fiction.

Nicolosi advocates and practices reparative therapy, an attempt to rehabilitate those with unwanted homosexual feelings in order to turn them into what he deems proper, upright citizens. Often this type of treatment includes aversion (shock) therapy and other outdated techniques.In a recent interview with Pink News, gay performer Peterson Toscano detailed his personal experience with reparative treatment and years of ex-gay programs. “I spent 17 years and over $30,000 on three continents attempting to de-gay myself. I attended weekly support groups, one-on-one counseling sessions, conferences, and even two years at a residential facility,” says Toscano. “Gay reparative therapy and ex-gay ministries did not alter my sexual orientation in the least.”

As Toscano addresses in the interview, some therapeutic techniques used in the ex-gay community are downright laughable. “Each program and practitioner offers a different method. One program used an altered version of the 12 Steps traditionally used in Alcoholics Anonymous. Often therapists tried to correct gender variance instructing me to be more gender conforming. They taught me how to play football, change the oil in my car, walk, sit and dress in a more straight-acting masculine way.” As for the most bizarre attempts at treatment – those would be the three exorcisms he endured.

After years of fighting who he really was, today Toscano runs Beyond Ex Gay, an online community for those who have endured the dehumanizing therapy, and speaks regularly about his struggle. While the gay community has clearly made large leaps, there is still much to be done.

Gas Station Pumps Out Anti-Gay Marriage Receipt

"Fill 'er up, sir? Regular unleaded with a side of anti-gay marriage propaganda?

Tracey Lee Herbert, a resident of California's Running Springs, received a receipt from a gas station that had the following text printed at the bottom:

"THANK YOU, GOD BLESS!!! MARRIAGE = 1MAN & 1 WOMAN"

Iraqi Gays Face Threat of 'Glued Anuses'

Buoying the theory that it's the "anal sex" part of being gay that really infuriates homophobes, Iraqi militants are reportedly gluing shut the anuses of suspected gays. With a glue so resilient, you need surgery to remove it. This is torture, and some 60 men have already been attacked with it.

Translating from the news network Al Arabiya:

A prominent Iraqi human rights activist says that Iraqi militia have deployed a painful form of torture against homosexuals by closing their anuses using 'Iranian gum.' … Yina Mohammad told Alarabiya.net that, 'Iraqi militias have deployed an unprecedented form of torture against homosexuals by using a very strong glue that will close their anus.' According to her, the new substance 'is known as the American hum, which is an Iranian-manufactured glue that if applied to the skin, sticks to it and can only be removed by surgery. After they glue the anuses of homosexuals, they give them a drink that causes diarrhea. Since the anus is closed, the diarrhea causes death.

Videos of this form of torture are being distributed on mobile cellphones in Iraq.' According to this human rights activist, for the past 3 weeks a crackdown on homosexuals has been going on based on a religious decree that demands their death; dozens have been targeted. She says that the persecution of homosexuals is not confined to the Shiite clerics. Some Sunni leaders have also declared the death penalty for sodomy on satellite channels.

We Don’t Torture

THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART	M - TH 11P / 10C
WE DON'T TORTURE
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DAILY SHOW FULL EPISODES ECONOMIC CRISIS POLITICAL HUMOR

Broad support for New York gay marriage bill

A majority of New Yorkers support a bill legalizing gay marriage, according to a poll released on Monday, but the measure still faces an uphill battle in the state legislature.

By a margin of 53 to 39 percent, New York voters said they backed Governor David Paterson’s proposal enabling same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses, said the poll by the Siena Research Institute at Siena College in Loudonville, New York.

"We put the bill out because there are 1,324 protections that people who are married receive legally, like the ability to make medical decisions for one’s spouse that you can’t have if you’re not married," Paterson said when asked by reporters about the poll.

Gay Clergy Vote Winding Down

With 88 percent of geographic regions reporting, the Presbyterian Church USA appears to be on the verge of rejecting an amendment that would allow gay and lesbian people to be ordained as ministers in the church.

The measure to allow gay and lesbian clergy, known as “Amendment B,” would require approval of a simple majority of the church’s 173 presbyteries, which amounts to 87. The website dedicated to tracking the vote shows that out of 152 presbyteries that have voted so far, 84 opposed the amendment, and 64 supported it.

Only three more presbyteries need to reject the amendment in order for it to fail.

On Tuesday, the National Capital Presbytery representing members in the Washington, D.C. area approved the amendment to allow gay and lesbian clergy, as did Salem Presbytery in central North Carolina, and Wabash Valley in Indiana.

Among the regions yet to vote are more liberal presbyteries, such as the Presbytery of the Pacific, including much of Los Angeles, which votes on May 12.

Love Not Laws

The Consumer Scoop on SunChips' 100 Percent Compostable Packaging

Ingeo—the renewable material being used in products like high-end clothing, pens, lipstick tubes, computers and other electronics.

Some companies are dabbling with the idea and others are taking it full throttle—like the snack brand, SunChips—who has teamed up NatureWorks, a company creating Ingeo products—to create 100 percent compostable packaging by 2010.

Chrysler Unveils Electric Minivan for US Postal Service

Making the Last Mile of Mail Delivery Greener

Chrysler is celebrating Earth Day by unveiling an electric minivan... that you won't be able to buy (yet). They're making them for the US Postal Service, and so far 4 out of an eventual 250 have been built. The electric minivan is based on the Chrysler Town & Country EV that we wrote about last year, and the powertrain will be very similar except that the USPS version is a non range-extended version because postal routes generally are only around 20 miles.

7 Popular Tourist Destinations to See Before it's Too Late

There's a new kind of eco-tourist on the prowl, one who seeks out the places and experiences threatened by global warming: the climate tourist. The following seven popular tourist destinations may not be the world's most endangered ecosystems, but they all have one thing in common: a particular attraction--be it reefs or snow or beaches--under assault. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Maldives, visit these 7 destinations that are rapidly becoming less alluring vacation spots before climate change takes its toll.

1. Great Barrier Reef
According to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, climate change is the greatest long-term threat to the Australian reef's survival. Coral bleaching has begun to increase in frequency and severity due to rising sea temperatures, and 5 percent of reefs in the Great Barrier Reef were severely damaged during both the 1998 and 2002 mass-coral bleaching events. Projections of future water temperatures suggest coral bleaching could become an annual event in the course of this century. As the reef dies, other organisms, like killer starfish, move in. By 2050, scientists say, the reef could be dominated by "non-coral organisms."

2. Maldives
With pristine beaches and rich coral reefs, the Maldives has long been an alluring option for sun-loving tourists. But like many small island nations, the Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise in particular. Some 80 percent of its 1,200 islands are less than three feet above sea level: In as little as 100 years, the Maldives could become completely uninhabitable. The good news is the country is also working to become a role model in environmental management and climate response.

3. Florida's Everglades
The Everglades are the greatest subtropical wilderness in North America. They are also on the brink of changing forever. With a multitude of ecosystems--from pinelands and sawgrass prairies to hardwood hammocks and cypress swamps --the Everglades harbors dozens of endangered or threatened species, including the vanishing Florida panther. But sea-level rise will make the Everglades' swamps, marshes and lakes more vulnerable to storms and flooding. The anticipated two- to three-foot rise in sea level over the next 100 years will cause salt water to flow 10 miles or more inland into the Everglades, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

4. Athens
As one of the oldest cities in the world with an incredible array of architectural monuments, Athens has a lot to offer history and art buffs. Unfortunately, the temperature rise may be happening in the Mediterranean faster than anywhere else, diminishing Athens' appeal to visitors. "Athens will become decidedly uncomfortable" by 2020, with summer temperatures soaring above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) and smog a concern, according to the Centre for Future Studies. In June 2008, a weather station in Athens measured the highest temperature ever recorded there, nearly 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Overall, temperatures for the summer months were about 5 degrees warmer than average, reports The Christian Science Monitor.

5. The Alps
Better hit the slopes at one of the most popular ski spots in the world before it's too late: A 2007 report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicates the years 1994, 2002, and 2003 were the warmest on record in the Alps in the past 500 years. Among the most vulnerable areas: low-altitude ski-resorts, notably in the Eastern Alps, such as Kitzbühel in Austria. There are now 609 naturally "snow-reliable" Alpine resorts in Europe, according to the OECD. But with just one degree Celsius (1.8 degree Fahrenheit) rise in temperature, that would drop to 500 resorts with good snow and to 404 with a two degree Celsius (3.6 degree Fahrenheit) rise.

6. Churchill, Canada
Melting tundra ice and the plight of the polar bear helped transform a tiny Canadian town on Hudson Bay called Churchill into the 'polar bear capital of the world.' Here tour operators lead trips to see the 900 polar bears in the area in October and November, when they hunt for seals on the frozen bay waters. Almost 10,000 people visit Churchill each year, according to Polar Bears International, arriving via tundra buggies or helicopter. As the weather grows cooler, polar bears move towards the coast expecting the sea ice to return to the bay. But as the ice retreats, the bears now spend more time on shore, away from their prime food source, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Meaning, each year more and more polar bears are starving to death.

7. Yulong Mountain, China
The glacier on Yulong Mountain is one of the most important attractions in the province of Yunnan, China. Yet it has receded by 150 meters (nearly 500 feet) in the space of 16 years--from 1982 to 1998--due to global warming. This will likely affect tourism in Yunnan. The mountain consists of 19 glaciers and 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet). Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, part of Yulong, is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants. One quarter of all plant species in China can be found here, and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals protected by the state. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, states China Travel Guide, is a scenic spot for sightseeing, mountaineering, skiing, exploration, and scientific research.

Obama's Ambitious Plan for High-Speed Rail Lines in America

Europeans and Japanese already enjoy high-speed rail service, but Americans are woefully dependent on cars and planes to get from city to city. Not for long, if Obama has anything to say about it.

Obama's right-hand goon, Joe Biden, unveiled the administration's plans for high-speed rail all across the country today, showing off a seriously impressive map that adds lines connecting cities all over the country.

Of course, this is all going to take time and a whole lot of money. The first line that's likely to go in, thanks to its advanced state of planning, is the California section, which hopes to link up its major cities with a 200mph rail line sometime in the next decade.

What's unclear is how all of this will be paid for. After all, the current stimulus package has $8 billion marked for high-speed rail projects. Sounds like a lot until you learn that the CA section alone will cost somewhere around $40 billion.

Large crowds expected as Maine takes up gay marriage bill

Public hearings begin today on legislation to allow same-sex marriage in Maine. So many people on both sides of the issue are expected that the hearings will be held at the Augusta Civic Center.

One bill would repeal Maine’s 12-year-old so-called Defense of Marriage law, which bars same-sex marriage, while a second bill would make marriage gender-neutral. Both were filed by Sen. Dennis S. Damon (D).

The marriage bill states that churches would not be compelled to conduct same-sex weddings if it would be inconsistent with their doctrine.

House committee takes up hate crimes bill

Legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law will be taken up today by the House Judiciary Committee.

It is expected the bill will be marked up and be sent to the full House for a vote, possibly before the end of the month.

The bill was introduced with bipartisan support by Reps. John Conyers (D-MI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). In addition to LGBT rights groups, the bill has the support of more than 300 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations.

Gay rights groups have been fighting to have the legislation passed for over a decade.

New Video Tackles "Myths" About Marriage Equality

As the marriage-equality debate moves to the New York state legislature, the state’s leading gay rights advocacy organization released an online-only video today that seeks to deflate three of the myths used by religious groups to oppose same-sex marriage.

The Empire State Pride Agenda's “Marriage Equality and Religion: The Massachusetts Experience” features comments from three religious leaders in the Bay State, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2004. The Reverend Nancy Taylor of Old South Church; the Reverend Thomas Shaw, Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts; and the Reverend Michael Wayne Walker of Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton discuss how the First Amendment clashes religious groups cite have not come to pass in their state, and are unlikely to present a problem in New York.

Pride Agenda spokesman Josh Meltzer told Advocate.com that the video was prompted by "misinformation campaigns" the organization has observed in other states that leave some people "unclear" about how same-sex marriage actually affects religions and religious institutions.

Which Famous Wife Knows Too Much About Celeb Husband's Man-Loving?

"This celebrity couple’s pre-nuptial agreement required the wife to stay in the relationship for a certain amount of time. However, the Stepford Wife’s law firm has decided that it may be difficult to impossible for the husband to enforce this. It seems that the wife knows much more than she should about the husband’s long-time and very personal relationship with another high-profile man. She is using that knowledge to get her sentence reduced and to to gain custody over the couple’s kid/s.”

[I am not sure... just guessing from what I have heard. It seems like everyone in Los Angeles already knows the answer to this. But, who is the other man?]

Earth Day

It's Official...I am Running for Governor of California

San Francisco mayor and staunch marriage-equality ally Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that he is diving into the race to become the Golden State's next governor.



San Francisco mayor and staunch marriage-equality ally Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that he is diving into the race to become the Golden State's next governor.

Newsom, 41, made the announcement using social-networking sites Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. In February 2004, just months after taking office, Newsom ordered the city to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, sparking a four-year legal challenge, extending to the state supreme court.

The Democratic primary may also include California attorney general Jerry Brown (who was governor of California from 1975 to 1983), Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein, and Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Brown has been pushing the California supreme court to overturn Proposition 8.

On the Republican side, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has expressed interest in running, as well as state insurance commissioner Steve Poizner. Whitman said she supported Proposition 8.

The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad

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THE COLBERT COALITION'S ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE AD
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Steve Schmidt Unequivocally PRO-Marriage Equality

In one of his very first public appearances since the 2008 campaign concluded, Steve Schmidt, chief campaign strategist for John McCain, made a 20-minute speech at the Log Cabin Republican convention in which he unequivocally voiced his support for marriage equality and said that denigrating gay people in any way is “un-American.”

Below are some initial excerpts from the speech:

“It cannot be argued that marriage between people of the same sex is un-American or threatens the rights of others. On the contrary, it seems to me that denying two consenting adults of the same sex the right to form a lawful union that is protected and respected by the state denies them two of the most basic national rights affirmed in the preamble of our Declaration of Independence: liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

“Whether you are for or against same-sex marriage, every Republican ought to value the right of people to make such personal decisions for themselves. As former vice president Dick Cheney used to say, ‘Freedom means freedom for everybody.’ And I think Republicans and our Republican Party should always stay on the side of expanding freedom and equal rights; it is our heritage and it is our legacy."

“I believe, and I think most Americans believe, you are born with your sexuality -- it is not a choice. It should offend us as Republicans and Americans when gays are denigrated as un-American or undeserving of the government’s protection of their rights. And the Republican Party should give voice to genuine outrage when anyone belittles the humanity of another person; it is offensive in the extreme to the values of this nation and we should be in the forefront of rejecting such truly un-American prejudice."

“Moreover, if you believe, we are born with our sexual orientation, it is hard to deny the inequality under the law that exists when people of one sexual orientation are allowed to marry and people of another orientation are not."

“Even though a majority of Republicans remain opposed to it, we must respect dissent on the subject within the party and encourage debate over it and should not reject out of hand and on specious grounds the question that the party might be wrong on this question."

“We should publicly affirm that gays are entitled to the same respect and protections given heterosexuals to be secure from discrimination in their employment, in the place they choose for work, and to enter into contractual relationships with another person that grant them the benefits and the privileges allowed married couples -- such as tax advantages afforded to married couples or the responsibility to make end-of-life decisions for one another."

Palin's Antigay Nominee Rejected

Sarah Palin suffered a big loss as the Senate and House for the first time in Alaska history rejected the governor's attorney general nominee yesterday.

Anthony Wayne Ross (whose initials," WAR," graced his license plate, while his wife's plates blared "MRS WAR") had refused to disavow his statements that gays are "degenerates" and "immoral" and he'd called abortion "killing kids," among other things:

"I believed I knew what Alaskans wanted when I selected an individual who is a strong backer of Second Amendment rights, a staunch supporter of the state Constitution and a defender of life," Palin said in a statement.

"I'm surprised that legislators in this case really did not seem to represent their constituents and allowed themselves to be swayed by side issues," she said.

Mostly, it seems many Democrats who previously worked with her on issues as well as members of her own party are sick and tired of seeing Palin posturing for national office, supporting wingnuts and not accomplishing anything in this session in her state. As the news came down, she was in Indiana, speaking to an antiabortion group!

Meanwhile, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele, at that very same antiabortion event in Indiana with Palin, called Palin one of the party's leaders, which will certainly fuel some of the speculation -- which you might remember I was presented with on CNN a couple of weeks ago, responding with a laugh -- that they might run together, a Palin-Steele 2012 ticket:

During a news conference before the dinner, Steele cited Palin among other prominent party figures, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and two congressmen, Eric Cantor and Mike Pence.

Meghan McCain: Republicans "Scared Sh**less"

Meghan McCain addressed the Log Cabin Republicans Saturday night at Washington, D.C.'s Westin Hotel during their annual convention, telling the gay group she has "lots and lots of gay friends" and that old-guard Republicans are "scared sh**less" of the future.

The speech had the rebellious strain that one might expect from the 24-year-old daughter of Sen. John McCain, though Ms. McCain did not explicitly reiterate the support for same-sex marriage that she had endorsed in an earlier blog post on The Daily Beast website. But the event was notable by virtue of the fact that she was the second high-profile Republican to speak at Log Cabin over the weekend -- McCain's chief campaign strategist Steve Schmidt delivered a 20-minute speech Friday in which he laid out an intellectual and moral rationale for supporting full marriage equality.

McCain: "The person who stands before you is not confined within the mold of what a daughter of a Republican Presidential candidate 'should' be for some. And that’s OK. Our world is not confined by molds and neither should our nation....People in our country have much more important issues to deal with on a daily basis. But the experience did reinforce what I learned on the campaign trail in some major ways. I’ll summarize them in three points: 1. Most of our nation wants our nation to succeed. 2. Most people are ready to move on to the future, not live in the past. 3. Most of the old school Republicans are scared shitless of that future."

McCain added: "I am concerned about the environment. I love to wear black. I think government is best when it stays out of people’s lives and business as much as possible. I love punk rock. I believe in a strong national defense. I have a tattoo. I believe government should always be efficient and accountable. I have lots of gay friends. And yes, I am a Republican."

Moroccan Government Warns It "Will Not Tolerate" Homosexuality

Disturbing news from Morocco. The government vows to crackdown on a burgeoning gay rights movement and warns homosexuality "will not be tolerated."

The Associated Press reported a statement from the Interior Ministry: "Certain media are taking a stand for certain ignominious behaviors, which is a provocation for the national public opinion. Any act contrary to moral or religious values will be repressed." An anonymous ministry official said this was a reference to newspapers that advocated greater "tolerance for homosexuality."

Marriage-Equality Foe Calls to Oust Paterson

New York state senator Ruben Diaz Sr., a Pentecostal minister and ardent foe of same-sex marriage, said that he plans to hold a rally in May where he will call for the ouster of Gov. David Paterson, reports WNYC-FM.

"You could put it down, during the month of May, we will bring out thousands and thousands of Hispanic evangelical Christians in the city of New York to ask Governor Paterson to step aside," said Diaz, a Democrat who represents the Bronx.

Paterson announced yesterday that he would introduce legislation to legalize same-sex civil marriage in New York. The bill is expected to pass the assembly, as it did in 2007, but marriage-equality supporters acknowledge that it faces tougher prospects in the senate, where Democrats hold a slim 32-30 majority. Not all Democrats support the bill, and no Republicans have announced support for it thus far.