A Very Sad Day For New York

HRC Newsletter---December 3, 2009

Yesterday, the New York State Senate voted against marriage equality for same-sex couples. Yesterday's vote is a huge disappointment.
It is a vote against equal treatment for all New York families.

The senators who voted against marriage equality today are clearly on the wrong side of history, but the history of marriage equality will not end with today's vote. We will not stop fighting until every New York family has equal access to the protections and responsibilities of marriage.

We want to thank our members and allies who worked tirelessly and continue to work tirelessly for equality. The impassioned speeches from the floor of the state senate today speak to the level of commitment we have from our allies in the senate to keep fighting.

This year, HRC (Human Rights Campaign), put 16 field staff on the ground, from Rochester to Long Island, to coordinate grassroots lobbying and to organize volunteer teams across the state, collected 5,500 handwritten letters to state senators from fair-minded New Yorkers and made over 72,000 calls to New York voters asking them to support marriage equality.

And today, we'll continue fighting alongside State Senator Tom Duane, Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson, Governor David Paterson, as well as with our allies in the State Assembly to secure equality. Our work in New York and across the country is not yet done, and your continued support is critical to making sure that the rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are secured.

Thank you so much for your continuing the fight with us.