Gay Marriage Ban DEFEATED in MA

[donald...really]

Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban
By Frank Phillips, Globe Staff

A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was defeated today by a joint session of the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 151, eliminating any chance of getting it on the ballot in November 2008. At least 50 votes were needed to advance the measure.

The vote came after House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, Senate President Therese Murray, and Governor Deval Patrick conferred this morning and concluded that they have the votes to kill the proposal.

The three leaders - along with gay rights activists - spent the last several days intensely lobbying a dozen or more state representatives and state senators who had previously supported the amendment but signaled that they were open to changing their positions.

Because fewer than 50 of the state's 200 lawmakers supported the amendment, it will not appear on the 2008 ballot, giving gay marriage advocates a major victory in their battle with social conservatives to keep same-sex marriage legal in Massachusetts.

Opponents of gay marriage face an increasingly tough battle to win legislative approval of any future petitions to appear on a statewide ballot. The next election available to them is 2012.

"We're proud of our state today, and we applaud the legislature for showing that Massachusetts is strongly behind fairness," said Lee Swislow, executive director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, in a statement. "The vote today was the triumph of time, experience, and understanding over fear and prejudice."

 

[MickeyDee]

This is excellent news!

 

[kelleigh1]

 

[mickeyfan1]

Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban
By Frank Phillips, Globe Staff

A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage was defeated today by a joint session of the Legislature by a vote of 45 to 151, eliminating any chance of getting it on the ballot in November 2008. At least 50 votes were needed to advance the measure.

The vote came after House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, Senate President Therese Murray, and Governor Deval Patrick conferred this morning and concluded that they have the votes to kill the proposal.

The three leaders - along with gay rights activists - spent the last several days intensely lobbying a dozen or more state representatives and state senators who had previously supported the amendment but signaled that they were open to changing their positions.

Because fewer than 50 of the state's 200 lawmakers supported the amendment, it will not appear on the 2008 ballot, giving gay marriage advocates a major victory in their battle with social conservatives to keep same-sex marriage legal in Massachusetts.

Opponents of gay marriage face an increasingly tough battle to win legislative approval of any future petitions to appear on a statewide ballot. The next election available to them is 2012.

"We're proud of our state today, and we applaud the legislature for showing that Massachusetts is strongly behind fairness," said Lee Swislow, executive director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, in a statement. "The vote today was the triumph of time, experience, and understanding over fear and prejudice."

Hooray for common sense. In January New Hampshire's Civil Union law goes into effect. Not only will civil unions between same sex couples be legalized, NH becomes the first state to recognize thoses legal unions, be they civil or marraige, from other states or countires.

 

[Boston5602]

I really thought when equal marriage came into law here in our Commonwealth that it would be overturned , that there was no way at all it would last . Thank god I was wrong.

I need to go call my rep and thank them!!

 

[donald...really]

An editorial from the Boston Globe...


Expanding the circle of rights
June 14, 2007

The Massachusetts Constitution is the oldest in the county and, some say, the most generous in its interpretation of personal liberty. This afternoon the legislative branch of government joined the judiciary in upholding the proudest traditions of the state by decisively voting down an effort to use the Constitution to restrict civil rights.

Advocates of the constitutional ban on gay marriage needed only 50 of 200 votes to advance their cause to the ballot; they mustered only 45. More significantly, 151 legislators voted no on the amendment, leaving no doubt that proponents didn't have the required 25 percent of the constitutional convention. Legislators, taken with the significance of the moment, embraced and some shed tears on the House floor.

No doubt some were tears of relief -- Massachusetts will now be spared a costly, divisive, distracting ballot fight in the middle of a presidential campaign year. But some were tears of joy and pride. Legislators deserve to be proud of their votes, and residents can be proud of Massachusetts.
After three years of experience with gay marriage that has harmed exactly no one, the state's gay and lesbian couples can now get back to their ordinary lives, enduring the mundane tasks and rituals of daily life alongside their neighbors and co-workers. But now they do so secure in the knowledge that they are full citizens in a Commonwealth of inclusion.




I love my state, even with the LONG winters.

 

[Sparx]

I just wanted to stop by and say that this is wonderful news, and I'm so glad to hear it.

 

[kelleigh1]

Back in 2004, when the state determined that same-sex marriage was a right, I was in the process of planning my own wedding. We watched as then-Gov. Romney did everything he could to find some archaic law to prohibit same-sex marriage. And we often heard him tout that same-sex marriage would be harmful to the children of Massachusetts, my question was how?

I wanted to ask him, shouldn't we be teaching our children that prejudice and bigotry are wrong and the love is a good thing?

Why was it ok for me to marry the person I loved, but it's not ok for my friend? Simply because my heart chose a man and her heart chose a woman?

I'm a very intelligent woman but I'll never understand prejudice and bigotry.

Thank you legislators of Massachusetts for giving me a reason to be proud to live here.