Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Gay Marriage Fight Is Slow to Stir New York Foes - NYTimes.com

Poor Maggie......


Gay Marriage Fight Is Slow to Stir New York Foes - NYTimes.com

ALBANY — Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn was feeling distressed.
Skip to next paragraph
Related
Times Topics: Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships

The State Assembly had just voted to legalize same-sex marriage, after gay rights groups flooded the Legislature with visits, phone calls and e-mail messages. Where, he wanted to know, was the other side?

“Wake up! Where are you?” Mr. Hikind, an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, said in an interview. “It’s the bottom of the ninth, two outs, and you’re losing — big time.”

As the Legislature considers whether to make New York the next state to legalize same-sex marriage, social conservatives have been largely missing from the debate in Albany.

The interest groups working to legalize marriage for gay couples have been laying the groundwork for more than four years, lobbying lawmakers and funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to their campaigns. And last week they began running television commercials in three of the state’s largest media markets promoting same-sex marriage as an equal rights issue.

Their opponents, who are just beginning to organize, say they feel outgunned and underfinanced.

The difficulties in New York echo those that conservatives have faced throughout the Northeast. Over the last six weeks, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire have all moved to allow gay couples to wed.

The region has been challenging for opponents of same-sex marriage, in part, because the measures are being decided by state legislatures — not voter referendums where the opponents’ ability to motivate large numbers of voters, rather than influence institutional players, has been an advantage.

“It is the lack of a proposition or referendum,” the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said. “There is a disconnect within the constituencies. Many of them really have no idea how to present their grievances.”

In New York, the National Organization for Marriage, whose resources have been stretched thin from other campaigns in the Northeast, began making phone calls to recruit supporters only late last week.

The state’s Roman Catholic bishops have been somewhat distracted, too, having focused their lobbying energies this session on defeating a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse to bring civil claims, and have appeared unprepared for the battle over marriage.

“Frankly, the governor caught us all by surprise when he put this bill out there,” said Dennis Proust, communications director for the New York State Catholic Conference, the bishops’ political arm. “We weren’t expecting it.”

Other groups that typically take the lead on conservative causes, like New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms and the Conservative Party of New York State, say they lack the resources to mount a broad media campaign.

And the state does not have the large numbers of evangelical Christians and Mormons that have helped fuel movements to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples in other states, like California.

“It’s been a little bit of a challenge in New York,” said Peter S. Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, the Washington-based conservative advocacy group led by Tony Perkins. “The pro-family network in New York is not as well organized as it is in other states.”

The only statewide organization dedicated to preserving New York’s marriage laws is the Coalition to Save Marriage, an alliance of conservative leaders that has no headquarters or staff.

“I wish I would have started six years ago,” said Maggie Gallagher, who founded the National Organization for Marriage, based in Princeton, N.J., in 2007. “I would have a state organization. I would have a director who’s a National Organization for Marriage person who’s directly lobbying. But that’s not where I am.”

The State Assembly passed Gov. David A. Paterson’s bill to give same-sex couples the right to wed by a vote of 89 to 52 last week, and gay rights advocates are pushing for a vote in the closely divided Senate before the Legislature adjourns at the end of June.

Supporters have a financial advantage, too. The National Organization for Marriage said it planned to spend a minimum of $100,000 on its efforts in New York, mainly on telephone and e-mail appeals to voters and the purchase of ads on Web sites. The Empire State Pride Agenda, the leading gay rights organization, is already spending at least twice that on its TV advertising campaign and has hired Patricia Lynch Associates, one of Albany’s most influential lobbying firms, for $10,000 a month.

To be sure, those advantages do not guarantee that advocates will prevail in the 62-member Senate, and supporters concede they still need several votes to pass the marriage measure.

Still, social conservatives in New York state have seemed somewhat fragmented in recent years, lacking a galvanizing issue like the death penalty, over which they waged epic battles with Govs. Mario M. Cuomo and Hugh L. Carey.

“Everybody is operating in their own stratosphere,” said Michael R. Long, chairman of the Conservative Party of New York State.

Mr. Long said the Conservative Party would do what it could with its limited arsenal: e-mail messages to legislators, news releases and a call to action on its blog.

“If I had the money or the wherewithal, naturally I’d like to be on radio or TV,” he said.

The efforts have also been hurt by the lack of a statewide political figure to lead the opposition. The state’s two senators, governor, legislative leaders and attorney general all support allowing gay couples to wed.

Even the new archbishop of New York, Timothy M. Dolan, whose upbeat personality and communication savvy suggest he could be a powerful voice on public policy, has no plans to step into the debate, his spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, said last week.

“Not at this point, no,” Mr. Zwilling said. “He’s letting the conference take their normal role,” referring to the bishops’ political arm.

Mr. Paterson said the archbishop did not raise the issue when the two met last month.

Still, there have been stirrings since the Assembly passed the marriage bill.

Hispanic churches organized a rally outside Mr. Paterson’s office in Midtown Manhattan on Sunday that drew thousands of people.

The phone solicitations by the National Organization for Marriage are focusing on districts where opponents believe senators’ positions can be influenced. Residents who oppose same-sex marriage are being asked to donate money or contact their senator.

“The other side, as far as the time they’ve spent organizing in New York, it’s clearly the case that they’re ahead of us,” said Brian S. Brown, the group’s executive director. “But we have only partially been on the field of play.” He added: “Wait till we get on the field.”

189 comments:

Michael R Lynch said...

I really agree with this and its a fact which we have to accept this.

Anonymous said...

hydrocodone prescription online hydrocodone questions - buy hydrocodone without prescriptions

Anonymous said...

buy valium online cheap effects grapefruit juice valium - valium 2683 dosage

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod online buy tramadol saturday delivery - safe place buy tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol hcl get you high - 3 50 mg tramadol

Anonymous said...

ativan pharmacy ativan good opiate withdrawal - ativan restless leg syndrome

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol 50 mg narcotic - 50mg tramadol lot

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online what does 100 mg tramadol look like - tramadol hcl er

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online buy klonopin online cheap - 2mg klonopin green

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50mg recommended dosage - tramadol 50 mg price

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online without a prescription tramadol 50mg medication - tramadol 50mg like

Anonymous said...

klonopin price buy generic klonopin online - klonopin side effects overdose

Anonymous said...

ativan pharmacy ativan dosage anxiety elderly - generic ativan just good

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol free shipping buy tramadol tablets - buy tramadol online from india

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol rx tramadol hcl 377 - can you buy tramadol over the counter usa

Anonymous said...

cheap clonazepam can you really buy klonopin online - long do 2mg klonopin last

Anonymous said...

generic ambien ambien cr not working - generic ambien good regular ambien

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cheap tramadol 300 er - order tramadol rx

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod overnight order tramadol for dogs - tramadol no prescription

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol no prescription buy tramadol hydrochloride uk - tramadol safe take high blood pressure

Anonymous said...

klonopin no prescription klonopin recreational use dosage - klonopin lunch

Anonymous said...

generic ambien generic ambien cost without insurance - buy ambien overnight

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online xymel 50mg tramadol hydrochloride - buy tramadol usa

Anonymous said...

ambien online ambien cr website - safe order ambien online

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50mg can you get high - tramadol y alcohol

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online no prescription how much klonopin should i take for anxiety - klonopin withdrawal and tinnitus

Anonymous said...

buy soma online purchase soma online - soma everwear

Anonymous said...

ambien on line teva 74 pill ambien - ambien generic price walgreens

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod fedex order tramadol online safely - tramadol 100mg er

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien zolpidem order - ambien withdrawal rebound insomnia

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol order tramadol online sweden - tramadol no prescription

Anonymous said...

ambien pharmacy buy ambien online overnight delivery - ambien cr generic available

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol drug soma by nature - buy soma hair products

Anonymous said...

ambien on line ambien zolpidem interaction - ambien pill sleeping

Anonymous said...

online soma soma vanishing edge bras - soma drug test time

Anonymous said...

ativan online ativan withdrawal length of time - addiction 1 mg ativan

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online without prescription ambien side effects amnesia - ambien drug reviews

Anonymous said...

generic ambien ambien side effects bruising - stories ambien users

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg and alcohol - buy tramadol london

Anonymous said...

where to buy tramadol buy brand name ultram - buy tramadol montreal

Anonymous said...

ativan pharmacy ativan dosage hospice patients - buy lorazepam

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol opiate - tramadol hcl 500mg

Anonymous said...

klonopin depression 2mg klonopin urine test - 1 mg klonopin erowid

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien zolpidem 10mg - street price ambien 5 mg

Anonymous said...

soma online soma junebug bar - pics soma pills

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod order tramadol online - tramadol buy

Anonymous said...

tramadol online no prescription buy tramadol us - tramadol order online tramadol 50mg

Anonymous said...

viagra online generic viagra 100mg reviews - viagra buy online no prescription

Anonymous said...

ordering ambien online ambien paxil drug interactions - generic ambien zolpidem tartrate

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol ultram cheap tramadol online cod - buy tramadol overnight shipping

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tablets tramadol dosage supplied - tramadol high lasts

Anonymous said...

buy sildenafil viagra results - safe viagra online orders

Anonymous said...

order viagra online usa viagra grapefruit juice--not good mix - buy viagra russia

Anonymous said...

soma online soma 2012 - generic soma 2410 v

Anonymous said...

buy viagra cheap viagra 70 year old - generic viagra-teva

Anonymous said...

tramadol generic tramadol hcl extended release - tramadol hcl xl

Anonymous said...

klonopin online klonopin dosage abuse - generic klonopin images

Anonymous said...

viagra cost buy viagra 100mg - order viagra online

Anonymous said...

buy somas buy soma online cash on delivery - where to buy aura soma

Anonymous said...

buy ambien ambien cr 6.5 side effects - eve online ambien music

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol 350 mg sona ucsd - soma horas minutos online

Anonymous said...

buy cialis online with prescription buy+cialis+online+without+prescription+in+canada - generic cialis oral jelly 5mg

Anonymous said...

buy viagra 50mg buy viagra kamagra - generic viagra levitra cialis

Anonymous said...

buy generic ambien online cheapest ambien online no prescription - ambien side effects funny

Anonymous said...

viagra medication viagra online safety - viagra dosage vs levitra

Anonymous said...

order viagra online without a prescription purchase viagra mumbai - generic viagra good original

Anonymous said...

cialis drug cialis 5mg best price - buy cialis online without rx

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online pharmacy order viagra mexico - buy viagra kuching

Anonymous said...

soma without prescription soma bras promotion code - muscle relaxant soma carisoprodol

Anonymous said...

buy generic viagra buy viagra cialis online canada - purchase viagra online in india

Anonymous said...

cialis no rx cialis online doctor - cialis 40 mg dose

Anonymous said...

viagra online viagra online ireland - cheap viagra in sydney

Anonymous said...

buy viagra with paypal online pharmacy viagra south africa - buy viagra online from usa

Anonymous said...

can you order viagra online viagra online manchester - viagra online new zealand

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online withdrawal from tramadol addiction - tramadol 50mg

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol for dogs bone cancer - help for tramadol addiction

Anonymous said...

viagra online buy viagra tesco pharmacy - viagra dosage wiki

Anonymous said...

order generic viagra online generic viagra in the usa - buy viagra and cialis

Anonymous said...

buy cheap generic viagra online cheap viagra scams - buy real viagra cheap

Anonymous said...

buy viagra 100mg viagra for women pulmonary hypertension - buy viagra online canada pharmacy

Anonymous said...

order viagra overnight viagra 36 hour - buy viagra by the pill

Anonymous said...

cheapest propecia generic propecia singapore - buy propecia online from canada

Anonymous said...

sildenafil citrate tablets buy viagra cheap canada - viagra online bestellen ohne rezept

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a online where to buy retin-a micro in usa - retin-a 0.04

Anonymous said...

order herbal viagra buy viagra online australia no prescription - cheap viagra 100mg mastercard

Anonymous said...

finasteride medication propecia side effects study - propecia going generic in u.s

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol for dogs tramadol 100 - tramadol hcl info

Anonymous said...

buy retin a cream buy retin a cream 0.1 - buy retin a cream online no prescription

Anonymous said...

buy atomoxetine strattera cost insurance - strattera focus

Anonymous said...

propecia drug propecia+cost of - propecia results photos

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online pharmacy viagra where to buy in sydney - dosage viagra do need

Anonymous said...

propecia online pharmacy propecia results hairline - propecia 30 day supply

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online overnight can overdose tramadol - what is tramadol hcl 50 mg used for

Anonymous said...

propecia mg propecia cost uk - propecia grows hair back

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online buy tramadol online us pharmacy - buy tramadol using mastercard

Anonymous said...

order tramadol tramadol online doctor - tramadol for anxiety

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 180 tramadol cheap - buy tramadol overnight with mastercard

Anonymous said...

order retin-a retin a cream england - retin a micro pump directions

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol sr tabs 100mg - tramadol rash

Anonymous said...

generic strattera strattera buy online no prescription - generic strattera sun pharma

Anonymous said...

buy propecia propecia 3 times per week - cheap alternative to propecia

Anonymous said...

tramadol no prescription tramadol for cheap to buy - buy tramadol pharmacy

Anonymous said...

where can you buy retin-a retin a micro 45 grams - can you order retin a online

Anonymous said...

propecia 1mg finasteride medication - propecia 6 months no results

Anonymous said...

legal buy tramadol online buy tramadol online missouri - tramadol much get high

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol hcl ultram - tramadol hcl drug class

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100mg tramadol renal dosing - tramadol for dogs side effects panting

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol veterinary dosage chart - tramadol no prescription overnight

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg safe place order tramadol online - tramadol 100mg info

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol sr tabs 100mg - buy tramadol no prescription mastercard

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol no prescription tramadol high triglycerides - tramadol hcl 50mg for dogs

Anonymous said...

retin a creme retin a micro for acne scars - retin a no prescription usa

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol withdrawal tips - 50 mg tramadol lot

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online celebrity propecia results - buy propecia mastercard

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol inurl forum buy cheap tramadol - tramadol tylenol

Anonymous said...

finasteride without prescription cheap generic propecia uk - generic propecia manufacturers

Anonymous said...

best buy tramadol high from tramadol hcl - tramadol for purchase

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100mg buy tramadol in australia - tramadol dosage comparison

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a online buy retin a micro gel .1 - retin-a topical

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol hcl tramadol hcl versus tramadol - tramadol and addiction

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50 mg for dogs - buy tramadol with credit card

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol for dogs used by humans - tramadol hcl non-narcotic

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg tramadol for dogs vs tramadol for humans - tramadol withdrawal onset

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra online viagra sale online pharmacy - viagra buy generic

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol online in uk - tramadol hcl nausea

Anonymous said...

generic viagra buy viagra online australia legally - can you buy viagra under 18

Anonymous said...

buy viagra no prescription cheap viagra brisbane - viagra y sus efectos secundarios

Anonymous said...

tadalafil 20mg cialis daily from canada - buy cialis from uk

Anonymous said...

buy cialis no prescription buy viagra cialis online - price comparison for cialis

Anonymous said...

buy generic viagra cheap viagra to us - legal order generic viagra online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol where should i buy tramadol from online - is tramadol generic for ultram

Anonymous said...

sildenafil citrate buy viagra online with paypal - buy viagra no prescription us

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription buy brand viagra online - viagra 40 pills for 99

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol hcl compared to vicodin - tramadol online no prescription uk

Anonymous said...

generic cialis cialis online pharmacy reviews - cialis newspaper coupon

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra how to order viagra - buy generic viagra in us

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra online viagra for women cheap - buy viagra online ehow

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription buy generic viagra 50mg online - illegal to order viagra online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol 50mg webmd - tramadol dosage in the elderly

Anonymous said...

discount cialis buy cialis online - cialis 30 day free trial coupon

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol buy tramadol 50 mg - tramadol dosage equivalent to morphine

Anonymous said...

buy generic viagra purchase viagra no prescription - viagra online dangers

Anonymous said...

cialis for sale cialis online coupon code - buy cialis cheap canada

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra viagra soft tabs dosage - anyone ever buy viagra online

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra order viagra online us - cheap viagra no prescription online

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra generic viagra cheapest - viagra for sale

Anonymous said...

tadalafil without prescription cialis 2.5 mg reviews - cialis price philippines

Anonymous said...

generic viagra online viagra online argentina - buy viagra dapoxetine

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription buy viagra dublin - viagra dosage in dogs

Anonymous said...

soma drug cheap apartments in soma sf - does soma san diego have seats

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online viagra dosage with food - viagra online guide

Anonymous said...

generic soma buy qualitest soma online - drug interactions soma neurontin

Anonymous said...

viagra online buy viagra jet - buy 4 viagra

Anonymous said...

buy soma online buy soma 350 mg online - order soma online from usa

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol dosage 200 mg - tramadol 50mg tablets street value

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma muscle relaxant - salzarex generic soma

Anonymous said...

viagra online order viagra from canadian pharmacy - where can you buy viagra in stores

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra online order viagra australia - buy generic viagra us

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma buy online no prescription - buy soma generic

Anonymous said...

buy soma online buy soma in us with - soma san diego silversun pickups

Anonymous said...

buy soma online buy soma online with mastercard - soma san diego 2011

Anonymous said...

soma medication best buy soma sf - buy soma online ship florida

Anonymous said...

soma online soma drug dangerous - buy hgh - somatropin pills

Anonymous said...

buy soma buy generic soma online no prescription - soma san diego info

Anonymous said...

soma generic soma generic brand - soma x ciel

Anonymous said...

buy soma online order soma online cod - buy soma cod

Anonymous said...

buy soma soma med spa - soma buena vista

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a online retin-a para que es - retin a gel dosage

Anonymous said...

order soma soma porteur rack - can i order soma online legally

Anonymous said...

soma muscle relaxant comquest discount soma - back medication soma

Anonymous said...

retin-a no prescription retin a micro no initial breakout - retin a cream janssen

Anonymous said...

buy retin a buy retin a micro online no prescription - retin a cream how long does it take to work

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol what is it - buy tramadol no prescription

Anonymous said...

tramadol buy tramadol qt prolongation - many tramadol 50mg get high

Anonymous said...

buy generic tramadol buy tramadol online by cod - tapering off ultram tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 200 tramadol buy - how to buy tramadol online

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online overnight tramadol dosage forms - tramadol high yahoo answers

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol high 50 mg - tramadol quickly does work

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online without prescription tramadol with acetaminophen high - tramadol online fedex

Anonymous said...

buy retin a retin a micro strength - retin a 0.1 cream 40 grams sale

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol next day tramadol 50mg to get high - buy tramadol overnight saturday delivery

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online no prescription cheap tramadol hcl an 627 - is it legal to buy tramadol online in the us

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 100mg online tramadol withdrawal bluelight - where to order tramadol online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol without a script purchase tramadol online cod - tramadol extended release tablets

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 100mg online tramadol prescription - buy cheap tramadol cod

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol cheap tramadol no rx - tramadol hcl 50 mg recreational use

Anonymous said...

where to buy tramadol online buy tramadol 627 - purchase tramadol online no prescription

Anonymous said...

where to buy tramadol tramadol 50mg t7 - ultram vs tramadol generic

Anonymous said...

tramadol online best buy tramadol - tramadol addiction pregnancy