New York state has been given the opportunity to join the advanced civil culture of the United States, but failed.
As expected, all 30 Republican state senators voted no on legalizing same-sex marriage. What is so sad, however, is that they were aided by eight Senate Democrats. It is embarrassing having eight from the “enlightened” join 30 of the “constipated,” giving a 38-24 win for discrimination and a loss for civil rights.
There were the two expected nays from upstate, William Stachowski (D-Buffalo) and Darrel Aubertine (D-Watertown), but six of the eight were from the city, including Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) and Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn).
But what really hurt, being so close to home, were the four Queens defectors: Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), George Onorato (D-Astoria), Hiram Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst) and Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica). The first three must answer for their own machinations, but Huntley, a black woman born in 1938, should be old enough to remember the struggle for civil rights for blacks in the mid-to-late 1960s.
That she can deprive the same equality to gays is a sad testament of her inability to empathize, as did seven of the 10 black members of the Senate.
It is only a matter of time when New York state can catch up with forward-thinking states such as Iowa — Iowa, that thought should make us proud. We join Maine as the only other northeastern state that has taken a step back. We will look back with shame at New York state’s denial of equal rights with the disdain we have earned and deserve.
Shame on us.
Nicholas Zizelis
Bayside
