MD: Anti Gay Marriage Bill Killed

A key Maryland House committee killed a bill Wednesday that would have prohibited the state from recognizing legal gay marriage performed in other states, according to the Maryland Reporter. Delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr.'s bill died in the House of Delegates Judiciary Committee on a 12 to 8 vote. Burns, a Democrat, is also a Baltimore County Baptist minister.

Two conservative Democrats, Gerron Levi and Kevin Kelly, joined six Republicans in voting in favor of the measure.

Maryland currently restricts marriage to heterosexual unions by law.
Last year, a gay marriage bill never made it out of committee, despite wide support from committee members.

Full Story from On Top Magazine
Click here for gay marriage resources in Maryland.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

NH: Another Town Removes Anti Gay Marriage Petition

Deerfield residents have taken a controversial warrant article about marriage off their March ballot and tacked onto their proposed budget enough money to buy a new piece of radar equipment. Saturday's deliberative session lasted just under four hours, Selectman Walter Hooker said, and neared its conclusion with about a half hour of discussion on a proposed resolution stating that residents should be allowed to vote on an amendment to the state constitution defining marriage. If approved by voters, the resolution would be sent to state politicians.

The petitioned article has popped up on warrants across the state this year following legislation passed in 2009 that made same-sex marriage legal in the state. In Deerfield, the petition was submitted by Chris Tidwell, pastor at Deerfield Bible Church.

At yesterday's meeting, residents voted to strike the proposed resolution by a 92-28 vote, Hooker said. Deerfield resident Jim Deely, 36, made the motion to amend the warrant article to take out all but two words, effectively rending it null and void. "It's clearly a statewide, divisive end-around to try to impose individuals' religious and moral views on others," Deely said. Tidwell said there was no malice intended in proposing the resolution. "As far as I'm concerned, in Deerfield, it's done," he said.

Full Story from the Concord Monitor
Click here for gay marriage resources in New Hampshire.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

NY: Activists Using Guerilla Tactics Against Anti Gay Marriage Senators

Civil rights organizers have employed rallies and demonstrations to call attention to injustices for generations, but some LGBT activists in New York who remain enraged by the state Senate’s vote against marriage for same-sex couples have begun to resort to guerrilla tactics and other forms of civil disobedience. The Dec. 2 vote against the marriage bill represented a significant setback in efforts to extend marriage to gays and lesbians in the Empire State. Many Democratic senators had initially said they supported the bill’s passage, but eight eventually voted against the measure. And the protests began almost immediately. Activists confronted state Sen. Carl Kruger [D-Brooklyn] as he left the Senate floor in Albany, accusing him of being closeted and telling him he betrayed his LGBT supporters. Full Story from Edge Boston: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=100804

Click here for gay marriage resources in New York.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

NY: Possible Ousting of Anti Gay Marriage Queens Senator

A special New York Senate committee is likely to recommend that his fellow Senators consider ousting state Sen. Hiram Monserrate for beating up his domestic partner. You may remember, Monserrate, a Queens Democrat, was convicted in October of misdemeanor assault, and was sentenced to 3 years probation, ordered to serve 250 hours of community service and undergo a year’s worth of counseling for jealousy and anger issues, for slashing his live in girlfriend, Karla Giraldo, in the face with a broken glass last year after dragging her across the lobby of his apartment building. You may also remember Monserrate joined Republican senators last month to “defend traditional marriage” and vote against marriage equality legislation for New York State. Full Story from Lez Get Real: http://lezgetreal.com/?p=24354

Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

NH: Wedding Expo and Gay Marriage Celebration in Manchester 1/1/10

Just received this: 2010 STARTS ON A NOTE OF EQUALITY NH Marriage Equality Celebration and LGBT Expo Join in the fun on Friday, January 1, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester for a celebration and acknowledgement of New Hampshire's legalization of same-sex marriage. From 4-7pm mingle and meet local LGBT friendly businesses and organizations as they display information about their products and services, with special emphasis on wedding services. The Expo is FREE TO THE PUBLIC. There will also be a free raffle of original art and other donated items and a free instructional dance demonstration from the masters at Let's Dance Studio. Immediately following the Expo, from 7-11pm enjoy an evening of dinner and dancing at a reception to honor all those choosing to marry in the Granite State. You'll enjoy food, drink, wedding cake and the hot sounds of DJ Paul from Godd Vibrations. Tickets are $50 per person. Discounts are available for groups, sponsors and exhibitors. RSVP to attend the dinner. Celebrate the first day of the year... and the historic first day of marriage equality in New Hampshire! RSVP via email at: info@EventsWithoutBorders.com or call 603.361.4243. Deadline for exhibitors is December 30th. Additional questions: Call Tim or Diane at 603.361.4243

DC: How One Black Church Came to Accept Marriage Equality

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon a couple of years ago, we took our places in front of the altar at Covenant Baptist Church, just as we had countless times before in our more than 20 years as partners in ministry. We had been united in holy matrimony ourselves in the same spot where we now stood to unite others. As the couple walked down the aisle, we recalled the previous evening’s rehearsal, when we commended all the participants for their courage and prayed that God would be in our midst at the ceremony. When we pronounced the couple “partners for life,” we felt our prayers had been answered. It was the same feeling we had experienced so many times before when asking for God’s blessing of the union of a man and a woman. Only this time, the union was of a man and a man. Our church is the first and only traditional black church in the District of Columbia to perform same-sex unions. We conducted our first two union ceremonies, one gay and one lesbian, in the summer of 2007. The rapid political developments that followed in our nation and our city have made us optimistic that by the summer of 2010, same-sex nuptials will be not only blessed by churches but also sanctioned by law in the District. Full Story from Delaware Online: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20091223/OPINION16/91222023/1004/OPINION/-Gay-marriage-in-our-black-church

Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington, DC.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

UT: Conservative Congressman Chaffetz Has Liberal Family Ties

Gay rights groups are flabbergasted that Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, is leading a charge to block gay marriage in the District of Columbia, since his family has some interesting gay and liberal ties. After all, his father, John Chaffetz, wrote a complimentary book about a gay couple that competed in the "Amazing Race" reality TV show. And liberal, former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis (whose wife, Kitty, was once married to Chaffetz's father) has been helping the young Chaffetz to pass legislation. So gay groups are questioning in widespread Internet posts why Chaffetz, with such ties, could do such a thing. They wish aloud that he would listen to his more liberal relations, and stop his pledges to try to overturn a D.C. ordinance signed by its mayor last week to allow gay marriage. Chaffetz told the Deseret News on Monday that such groups should not hold their breath for that. Full Story from Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705353303/Chaffetz-family-differ-on-gay-marriage.html

Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Basic Rights Oregon Launches Gay Marriage Drive

Gay rights activists on Monday will launch a campaign to persuade Oregonians they should reverse their vote of five years ago and support same-sex marriage. Basic Rights Oregon, the state's largest gay rights group, aims to put on the Oregon ballot as early as 2012 an initiative asking voters to lift the constitutional ban on gay and lesbian marriage that passed in 2004. The goal is "to allow same-sex couples to legally marry in this state," said Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon "There is no substitute for the respect and dignity that comes with marriage." Full Story from Oregon Live: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/11/group_launches_drive_for_same-.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Oregon.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

National Public Radio Tells Anti Gay Marriage Group to Stop Using Clip in Ad

National Public Radio is demanding that a political action committee stop using a radio clip as part of its efforts to repeal Maine's same-sex marriage law. The group Stand for Marriage Maine began airing the ad last week on television stations and the Internet. The ad uses audio from a 2004 NRP story titled, "Massachusetts Schools Grapple with Including Gay & Lesbian Relationships in Sex Education." Full Story from WBZ TV: http://wbztv.com/wireapnewsme/NPR.demanding.that.2.1261537.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Rhode Island Governor to Meet With Gay Marriage Group

Outgoing Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri has agreed to meet in early November with a group of gay and lesbian activists, but proceeded to speak out against gay marriage at a fundraiser for a Massachusetts group opposed to gay and lesbian rights. Carcieri told the group that marriage is “not a civil right.” Last month, gay rights group Queer Action Rhode Island asked the Republican governor to cancel a scheduled appearance before the anti-gay group Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) at its 18th Annual Fundraising Banquet. Full Story from On Top Magazine: http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=4727&MediaType=1&Category=26

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Rhode Island.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.