NY senators delay gay 'marriage' vote, possibility still looms

Albany, N.Y., Jun 21, 2011 / 01:13 am

New York state senators did not reach a conclusion about homosexual "marriage" as the Senate met before its summer recess on June 20.

“Every day that goes by and the bill does not pass is a good day, (but) we are realistic enough to know that this is a very serious danger,” said Denis Poust, New York Catholic Conference director of Communications, in a June 20 interview with CNA.

The issue was delayed along with other topics including rent control and property tax in New York, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, the Conference is doing its best to convince senators that the homosexual “marriage” bill is not a good idea for New York.

“It will likely be extended a couple of days. We will probably know what happens no later than Wednesday or Thursday,” Poust predicted.

He believes that the bill is being “rammed through the legislature for political reasons,” a move that he described as the “ultimate in bad governing.”

“There has been no public hearing, no public input of any kind. It’s being rammed through, this radical, social change.”

The bill could be harmful for the Republicans as well, even “politically suicidal.”

The Catholic conference director said that his office is “desperately trying” to tell Republican senators that people from their party define marriage “as it has always been known.”

While senators discussed the issue, dozens of citizens gathered in the New York State Senate building to protest and pray against the legalization of same-sex “marriage.” Many of the protestors carried signs and recited chants, led by Baptist ministers and Jewish clergy.

Poust said that New Yorkers can call their state senators and “plead with them not to undertake this radical social experiment.”

“It’s too late for writing; it’s too late for anything much other than calling and prayer.”

A large number of people from the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish communities are taking part in this call to prayer, he added.

At the same time, gay “marriage” supporters were also present at the Senate, led by the Empire State Pride Agenda.

On June 14, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo presented the “Marriage Equality Act” to the state legislature after a key Republican senator voiced support for it. Four Democrats who previously voted against same-sex “marriage” said on June 13 that they would support the bill.

But Poust remained hopeful that marriage would not be redefined by New York.

“We know nothing is impossible with God.”