HRC Backstory - Historic victory in New York, and: now what?

Governor Cuomo Signs New York Marriage Equality Bill Into Law

http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2011/06/governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-marriage-equality-bill-into-law/

Late Friday night at 11:55 PM, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the state’s historic marriage equality bill into law. After history making, bipartisan vote, the New York Senate today passed a widely popular marriage equality bill after the most aggressive state legislative campaign in the history of the LGBT rights movement. With Governor Cuomo’s signature of the bill, New York became the sixth state, plus the District of Columbia, where same-sex couples can legally marry. Same-sex couples can begin applying for marriage licences in 30 days.

The successful vote today shows that marriage equality is a bipartisan, mainstream value that both chambers of the Legislature approved. HRC could not be more grateful to the decisive and model leadership of the Governor and bipartisan group of senators who listened to the supermajority of New Yorkers and got this done.

What happened in New York doesn’t stay in New York. The decisive leadership of Governor Cuomo combined with the strong bipartisan support in the legislature will likely influence other states—New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island–that are considering extending marriage equality to their residents.

In the past year, a number of national polls (Washington Post/ABC News, Gallup, and CNN) have shown, for the first time, that a majority of the country supports marriage equality. Support for marriage equality has increased by 19 percentage points since 1996, according to the Pew Research Center.

With New York being the third most populous state in the country, a lot more LGBT couples are going to marry. And the more who marry, the more people will see we’re no different than anybody else—wanting the best for our families, loved ones, and in many cases our kids. And it makes it harder to discriminate.

Congratulations to all involved in this huge victory!

http://www.themistsofavalon.net/t2859-how-did-the-empire-state-building-go-rainbow-so-quickly

Reposting because this is a beautiful picture, regardless of the occasion:

Carol wrote:

How Did the Empire State Building 'Go Rainbow' So Quickly?

JUN 25 2011 - Less than an hour after the New York legislature passed a marriage equality bill 33 to 29 during a late session on Friday, Twitter started filling up with messages about how the Empire State Building had "gone rainbow." "OK, pictures of rainbow Empire State Building are getting me misty," screenwriter Diablo Cody wrote. "A rainbow shines on the Empire State and the Empire State building tonight!," another tweet read. And another: "Empire state building goes rainbow. Go us!"

A lot to celebrate. But wait a minute. How was the staff at one of the most iconic buildings in all of New York able to so quickly light up the exterior with the colors of the Gay Pride flag?

As it turns out, those responsible for the building have been prepared. And not necessarily because they anticipated that the bill would finally pass on Friday night. They were ready to flick the switch because the lights had been changed or installed more than six months ago when the building was last seen sporting that fabulous purple and red glow. Not for Gay Pride, which is celebrated in June across the United States, but for a Further show, according to Phish message boards.

A rock band founded in 2009 by Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, members of the Grateful Dead, Further played at the Madison Square Garden in November of last year. The Empire State Building was made to shine like a rainbow at night in honor of Jerry Garcia, the Dead's frontman until he passed away in 1995 at the age of 53.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/06/how-did-the-empire-state-building-go-rainbow-so-quickly/241027/

THE BEAR

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The Bear Totem

The Bear has many myths and legends surrounding it. They have played an enormous role in the Native American Indian culture and their skins were often used for protection from the cold in the form of coats and blankets; their claws were used for making jewelry and necklaces and their heads provided masks for Shaman. Native Americans believe that the Bear has strong medicine magic and many tribes consider bears to be Shaman themselves. They are known to American Indian tribes and their Shamans as “Keeper of Medicine” because they keep all the ancient healing secrets of the Indians and the spirits of the Earth.

The large powerful paws of a Bear contain, hidden within, long, sharp claws. They use their claws for catching one of their favorite meals, fish, and for climbing trees. Bears are good swimmers and surprisingly fast runners. Although many people see Bears as threatening most are content to mind their own business and only use force when absolutely necessary. They are not man eaters as many people believe, and, in fact, get most of their nutrition from, fish, plants, berries, herbs insects, and yes, even honey.

The Bear is a reserved and powerful animal. They signify leadership, family values and lunar magic. They are a spiritual and medicine Totem providing insight and calm grace and words of truth to those who seek their spirit council.

Bears are said to possess Lunar magic and many myths and legends depict the Bears special relationship to the moon. They are devoted mothers, raising and protecting their young from danger, teaching them to forage for food and fish in streams and providing them with all that they need until they are able to care for themselves properly. Mother Bears will fiercely protect her offspring from any harm or threat of harm.



Bears come in different colors and types, but most of them display similar spiritual and physiological characteristics. There are Asiatic Black Bears, American Black Bears, and the Magnificent Brown Bear which can be found throughout Asia, Europe, America and Canada. There is also the enormous Polar Bear, which can be found in colder regions of the world.

Bears are honored and respected by spiritualists the world over. Bears are known to impart pure and right wisdom and nothing profane will ever come from the noble Bear. Therefore they are trusted advisors in the spiritual world. The Bear possesses many animal virtues that are powerful and valuable and which any person would be wise to emulate or divine. One who has the power of the Bear will see enhanced leadership abilities, wisdom and fearlessness in defense; a better sense of self control allowing one the ability to use will-power to not speak when angered. Balance, harmony and strength are also all part of this noble totem’s magic.

The Magnificent Bear Totem possesses the following virtues: Right words and advise, clam reflective-ness, leadership abilities, courage to do what is right, medicine magic, shamanistic abilities, strong family values, devotion, reserved power, fearlessness in defense, and introspection.

Bear Animal Pearls are said to impart their particular magical virtues to their owner. Bear Pearls are characteristic of its host animal; they possess all the awesome characteristics that may be seen in the Bear itself; the balance and strength of this animal is contained within the pearl waiting for its proper owner to bestow its inner magic to that unique and fortunate individual. For century’s shamans, priestesses, spiritualists and practitioners of the occult have used Bear animal pearls to transfer the powerful magical energy of the Bear to themselves and to others in need of this commanding animal magic. Bear pearls are highly sought after by any wishing to absorb Bear virtues into their lives and develop stronger mental abilities such as those embodied by the powerful Bear. The owner of a Bear pearl will see their lives, spiritual energy and mental clarity imbued with all of the virtues attributed to the Shaman of the woods, the Bear. The Bear animal totem is a strong spirit indeed and its magical properties are one of the most influential of all animal totems. Strength in leadership, Shamanistic energy, the wisdom to know when to speak, higher self-esteem and so much more can be integrated into the spirit of the possessor of this magical pearl and the Bear totem.

Bear: symbol of maternal protection and strength
Winning in the game of life requires dedication to your goals and steadfast motion forward. Strength to stay a course in the practical side of life can sometimes be hard to achieve with distractions that pull you off in random directions.

Bear acts as a gentle reminder to be more focused and connected to the more practical world. The bear totem has been used for healing scattered thoughts into a more centered mental process.

Bears are quiet, swift and very protective of the family. The bear is the symbol of maternal protection. The bear totem can teach us:

Strength in the face of adversity
Finding one's way back
Solitude
Maternal protection
Focus on the practical side of life

http://crystal-cure.com/bear.html

____________________________

A bear totem or spirit guide symbolizes great strength, security and determination for the Shaman. Understanding and working with a bear power animal.

To American Indians, the Bear has a strong heart and unwavering will, and to Japanese and Siberian Shamans he is the leader of the animals, the animal that taught humans Shamanism.

Universal Bear Shaman Symbolism

Traditional names for the bear include King of the Forest and Grandfather, both of which show the respect that the bear inspires in Traditional Shamanic cultures. And who would not admire the noble bear, strong-willed and powerful, but also with great heart and supernatural powers?



Read more at Suite101: Totem Bear Spirit Guide: Symbolism of Bears as Power Animal or Animal Familiar in Shamanism | Suite101.com

http://www.suite101.com/content/totem-bear-spirit-guide-a136561#ixzz1QJBTWZ9n

http://www.suite101.com/content/totem-bear-spirit-guide-a136561

The Empire State building was already set to light up in rainbow colors last night in honor of the city’s Pride celebration this weekend, but given that it was the same night on which marriage equality became the law of the state, the new color scheme was given greater significance. And why not light up the night? New York Freedom to Marry notes that the New York victory represents several historic firsts:

For the first time, a Republican-led chamber, the New York State Senate, joined the Democrat-led Assembly in passing marriage legislation;

The marriage bill was strongly championed by a governor who ran for office on his pledge to pass a bill and then campaigned steadily for it, making it one of his top priorities and committing political capital to its passage;

A large number of America’s most prominent businesses including Xerox Corporation, Alcoa, and McGraw-Hill, and the heads of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, along with New York’s most important labor unions, urged passage of the bill;

And numerous professional athletes, including NBA star Steve Nash, New York Rangers star Sean Avery, and New York Giants great Michael Strahan, joined the chairman of the New York Giants and owner of the New Jersey Nets in speaking out for the bill.

While Republican support was neither broad nor deep — only four GOP state Senators voted for the marriage equality bill — it was nevertheless critical and historic. The Republican caucus easily could have blocked the measure from coming to the floor but didn’t. Sen. Dean Skelos, the majority leader of the Republican-controlled chamber who personally voted against the bill, could have refused to allow the bill to come forward, but didn’t. A lot of those GOP Senators who voted against the bill could have prevented its passage in several critical stages along the way, but chose to allow it to pass without their fingerprints on it.

Say what you will about their votes against equality — I’m sure their grandchildren in future decades won’t look at those votes with pride — but I think it bears remembering that marriage equality ended up being the work of the entire chamber, and not just those who voted yes. It’s true that the those who voted yes are the ones who today and in the future deserve to be wrapped in glory. They are the ones who actually made it happen. And those who worked feverishly to prevent marriage equality (I’m looking at you, Diaz) will be scorned by future generations the way we today regard the Dixiecrats of 1948. But the fact remains that sometimes just standing aside so that the rising tide of justice can sweep through is just as important as voting yes. Openly gay Sen. Thomas K. Duane said that everyone in the New York Senate was a hero last night regardless of their vote. I suspect that this is what he was talking about.

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2011/06/26/34581?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BoxTurtleBulletin+%28Box+Turtle+Bulletin%29


www.joekort.com

HigherLove wrote:
A large number of America’s most prominent businesses including Xerox Corporation, Alcoa, and McGraw-Hill, and the heads of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, along with New York’s most important labor unions, urged passage of the bill;

Hello!

This is a most queer piece of information.

What did the PTB have to gain from support of this? I mean, if they do not really care who wins or loses, provided they profit, then what is the gain, exactly?

Any ideas? I am stymied.

HigherLove wrote:

HigherLove wrote:
A large number of America’s most prominent businesses including Xerox Corporation, Alcoa, and McGraw-Hill, and the heads of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, along with New York’s most important labor unions, urged passage of the bill;

Hello!

This is a most queer piece of information.

What did the PTB have to gain from support of this? I mean, if they do not really care who wins or loses, provided they profit, then what is the gain, exactly?

Any ideas? I am stymied.

The gain is further conflict between supporters of this decision and opposers of it.
On the one hand you have religious fanatics who would burn gays (most of the religions) and on the other side (which would also want to eradicate their opponents -thus what makes them different essentially from religious fanatics???) you have PTB that supports both sides in the game ,for the sake of turmoil.

All for the sake of human enegry. A lots of fear and hatred energy from both sides ,meanwhile no one is thinking about the small guy who suffers the most because no one asks him or her about anything .
They just throw them into opposing camps and stir them against each other ...

Marriage is a deeply personal thing and if you inflict a law in it ,you miss the point.
Hence these problems for straight or homosexual people.

If anyone want to marry just because... it will be usually a great mistake.

Beren wrote:

HigherLove wrote:

HigherLove wrote:
A large number of America’s most prominent businesses including Xerox Corporation, Alcoa, and McGraw-Hill, and the heads of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, along with New York’s most important labor unions, urged passage of the bill;

Hello!

This is a most queer piece of information.

What did the PTB have to gain from support of this? I mean, if they do not really care who wins or loses, provided they profit, then what is the gain, exactly?

Any ideas? I am stymied.

The gain is further conflict between supporters of this decision and opposers of it.
On the one hand you have religious fanatics who would burn gays (most of the religions) and on the other side (which would also want to eradicate their opponents -thus what makes them different essentially from religious fanatics???) you have PTB that supports both sides in the game ,for the sake of turmoil.

All for the sake of human enegry. A lots of fear and hatred energy from both sides ,meanwhile no one is thinking about the small guy who suffers the most because no one asks him or her about anything .
They just throw them into opposing camps and stir them against each other ...

Marriage is a deeply personal thing and if you inflict a law in it ,you miss the point.
Hence these problems for straight or homosexual people.

If anyone want to marry just because... it will be usually a great mistake.

Good point. I cannot believe I am still that naive. It is still divide and conquer/look over there and pay no mind to the man behind the curtain.

Getting married just because one can seems like a mistake. Agreed.

I do not know if I would ever get married, and despite my posts, it is not something I think about that often. When I do, I think it would be nice to have the choice - to put another red letter day on the calendar, just like so many others.


Thanks for responding, Beren.

:)

Higherlove,

I've lost track of how many times I have listened to those songs.

This is good news, but I would like to see a total paradigm change.

Anything less seems pointless. Maybe this is how it happens? I don't know.

CetaceousOne wrote:Higherlove,

I've lost track of how many times I have listened to those songs.

This is good news, but I would like to see a total paradigm change.

Anything less seems pointless. Maybe this is how it happens? I don't know.

Kudos! for starters, as far as knowing these songs. It seems rare that people in the U.S. are aware that Pet Shop Boys have done the bulk of their recording after the height of their commercial success in the 1980s.

If simply listening to a song enough times was all that it would take to bring about change -- Imagine.

It seems we are in the midst of a paradigm shift. I never thought I would see these things discussed in my lifetime, let alone see so many good and right things come to fruition. But, if we are to enter a golden age, this seems like a positive step.

Eventually this will lose the divide and conquer aspect, as children grow up in a world where they see that gay marriage did not bring the locusts down upon them.

The locusts are already here, and it is not because of Gay Romance.


To Paradigm Shifts -

I do have a few thoughts on this that I would like to share and add that I do have gay friends who have married and been committed to one another for many, many years.


First marriage.

Marriage is between a man and woman for the purpose of having children where a contract is made on multiple levels.

Ones word is given to the spouse, to family, to friends, to god and thereby a legal contract is made to the State to protect the descendants of this union.

I've often thought the whole issue that gets some Christian's panties in a twist is that it is difficult for them to accept that two people of the same sex should have some of the same legal rights with respect to what occurs when a legal marriage takes place.

Second - legal issues

The issue being that the spouse is eligible for medical benefits, along with other legal benefits as the "partner" of his or her spouse. Basically, the work environment has to honor the spouse of a marriage between a husband and wife by providing benefits to the partner and offspring. Also, in the case of divorce, the spouse and children are also legally protected to some extent by how the assets are divided and to health benefits coverage.


We all know the above is in the most general of terms due to how our society has evolved and changed over the past 50 years. However, I've often wondered if a legal 'partnership' where they cay design their own ceremony between gay couples would be an alternative that would work to help provide benefits for those couples who are committed to one another for a lifetime relationship.

The primary legal issue is to be able to enjoy legal benefits for the family unit (as currently defined in a marriage) and it shouldn't matter if it is same sex or not.

The Daily Show



Tonight: Good news and bad news. Gay marriage is legal in NY and we now have 700 weddings to go to on July 24th.