Not only one of the “Hate 38” – those New York Senators who two weeks ago voted against marriage equality – but one of the now-targeted eight Democratic senators who voted against the bill, Carl Kruger found himself especially impacted by his vote, as marriage equality advocates protested in front of his home yesterday.
Everyone’s talking about this, so I’ll give you a roundup:
Via NBC New York:
“Gay rights activists called Kruger a “bigot” as they marched in front of his Mill Basin, Brooklyn home.  Organizers said turnout for the rally was dampened by rain and cold weather,  but more protests are planned in the coming weeks.”
“Fredy Kaplan said he has been made to feel like a “second class citizen.”
“We can’t have a regular life,” he said.
Via The Advocate:
“After the protest, organizer Corey Johnson addressed the senator in a post on his own Facebook page: “We’re not going to leave you alone Carl. You came into our homes with your vote—it’s time for us to continue to go to your house until you do the right thing.â€
You’ll remember that Johnson challenged Kruger’s own sexual orientation outside the Senate chamber after the vote in Albany.
Lez Get Real has the most thorough report, and ends with this all-to-true bit of wisdom (warning?):
“One of the major factors which has been a problem with the LGBT Rights Movement is the lack of a focused and organized political movement. This often leaves politicians feeling vulnerable if they vote in favor of the LGBT Community because they do not have the support of an organized group out of that segment of the population the same way that their opponents will from the opposite direction.”
Marriage advocates also protested Queens Senator Hiram Monserrate, George Onorato (Astoria, Queens,) and Thomas Morahan (Rockland and Orange County.)