“We will stay out in the cold until the New York Senate warms up to Marriage!” That’s this year’s message that proponents for same-sex marriage will be broadcasting at Thursday’s 2nd Valentine’s Day Rally. I spoke with one of the event organizers, Kitty Lambert, who made it clear that she and others will continue to fight their “inability to obtain marriage licenses.” And where better to broadcast the message than near the steps of City Hall? Following is Kitty’s response when asked about the show of support for Thursday’s rally:
“Last year was the first rally. We decided that we wanted to do it on Valentine's Day in front of City Hall. We wanted to hold it in front of a place that we can't go to get a marriage license. Last year the weather was bad. We thought that no one would show up. We ended up with over 60 people in support of the event. People are finally starting to understand the big issue. It's not about gays and lesbians throwing a party. It's about our families and our loved ones. It's about our right to live our lives the same way other married couples get to. I was recently refused admittance into a medical room when my partner was sick. And surviving partners have no legal standing when it comes to wills (also “the ability to file joint tax returns, automatic next-of-kin status for emergency medical decisions and hospital visitation rights, ability to invoke spousal privilege in a court of law, joint parenting rights, bereavement leave after the death of a spouse, ability to file wrongful death claims and automatic inheritance of shared assets after a spouse’s death”).
“We are asking for our civil rights. There are local churches that would be full tomorrow if same-sex marriage was legalized. I can think of five or six churches that would commence marriages immediately. But we are denied our first amendment rights. There are 1,324 NYS laws that protect partners in marriage. Heterosexuals are instantly protected once the marriage bonds are consecrated. My partner and I have five kids, twelve grandbabies... our youngest just turned one and our oldest just turned fourteen. It's frustrating. We raise our children to be productive citizens, we vote, we have worked elections, our families have served in wars - this is a history that our families are proud of. I'm not Canadian and I refuse to go to Canada to get married. My constitution was established to protect every single person in this country. Here it is. The reality is that the world has changed, progressed and moved forward. If people want to say that this is against God, then that is not my God. Why do we have to adhere to other people's religious values? To say that one group gets precedence over another is a scary thing. The American way should not be corrupted.”
Hot coffee and hot chocolate will be served at Thursday’s rally. Come out and show your support... and get some cookies and some truffles while enjoying the post party. And don’t forget to dress warm. The rally takes place in the middle of Niagara Square, right in front of City Hall. Last year, organizers gave supporters hearts to hold. On each heart was written the number of years the partners had been together. The total number of years was169 – that was tallied from the 67 people holding the hearts. There were some singles, but mostly couples. “There is still a lot of fear about being 'out' in this country,” Kitty told me. “We're hoping that people don't play it low key. We're looking for as much support as we can get. There are even a tremendous number of straight people that are now backing this issue. It’s time that all of our voices are heard when it comes to equal rights.”
When: February 14, 2008; Rally to run from 5:00-5:45 PM
Where: Niagara Square (in front of City Hall), Buffalo NY