On Sunday, July 24, same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York. Here’s a list of where and when you can register for a license, marry, protest with NOM and God Hates Fags, or show your support with LGBT activist groups.
In New York State, July 24 is the first official day same-sex marriage is legal, after Governor Cuomo signed his marriage equality bill into law last month. There’s a lot going on today, including over 823 expected weddings in just New York City alone! The radical, religion-based activist group, the National Organization For Marriage (NOM), and their partner-in-crime of refusal to observe separation of church and state, New York State Senator and Reverend Rubén DÃaz, are holding protest rallies across the state. The Westboro Baptist Church, aka, “God Hates Fags,” is threatening to protest as well. Ah, the company you keep, eh, Maggie? Nothing like observing the sanctity of marriage by protesting it. Meanwhile, gay rights groups Queer Rising and Connecting Rainbows are showing support for all the same-sex couples marrying today by showing up for peaceful rallies.
NOM’s anti-gay hate rallies are scheduled for Manhattan, Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester. (You’ll remember NOM’s last anti-gay hate rally, in which a pastor called for genocide of gays.) In an offensive trip into constitutional fantasy land law, NOM is claiming that “Governor Cuomo and the New York Legislature imposed same-sex marriage on New York with no vote of the people,” and that “New Yorkers have been denied that right!” Note to NOM: no where does it say in the constitution that any individual has the right to vote on marriage. In fact, the framers — our founding fathers — believed in a representative democracy to ensure the rights of the minority were respected.
The Westboro Baptist Church — God Hates Fags — has posted their picket schedule as follows:
Marriage Bureau in Manhattan: 7:30-9:00 a.m.
Marriage Bureau in Brooklyn: 9:45-10:30 a.m.
Marriage Bureau in The Bronx: 11:15-12:00 p.m.
Governor Cuomo’s NYC Office: 3:00-3:30 p.m.
Gracie Mansion: 4:30-5:00 p.m., where Mayor Bloomberg will be officiating at the wedding of two of his senior staffers. Shame on you, God Hates Fags!
God Hates Fags and NOM will be protesting at Governor’ Cuomo’s NYC offices, 633 Third Avenue, between 40th & 41st Streets, starting at 3:00 p.m., and Connecting Rainbows has promised a counter-protest from 3;00-6:00, stating, “NOM is using this historic day as a platform to get their hate message into the media, to raise money to fund their hate group, including going so far as to announce their support for Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., a bigot.”
READ: Broadway’s “Hair” To Feature Same-Sex Weddings On Stage – One Night Only
Queer Rising is choosing to spend the day at the Manhattan Marriage bureau from 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., stating, “The Westboro Baptist Church is planning to spew their hate on the hundreds of same-sex couples getting married this Sunday. In an effort to denounce their hatred, we will be standing between the haters and the couples with rainbow umbrellas. Come join us and celebrate the love that will be present in New York this Sunday!!!”
For a list of where to get a marriage license, see the New York City or New York State marriage bureaus. (Remember, there may be a 24-hour waiting period.)
“In New York City, 823 couples signed up in advance to get marriage licenses on Sunday, and many of them were expected to marry in city clerk’s offices across the five boroughs,” writes The New York Times today. “Officials from more than a dozen cities and towns from Buffalo to Brookhaven said they would open their offices to issue marriage licenses on Sunday, and more than 100 judges across the state have volunteered to officiate at the couples’ weddings on the spot,” and adds, “a sampling of pastors in the New York City area found that most did not intend to discuss same-sex marriage in their sermons on Sunday. At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, for example, the homilist planned to speak on other subjects. ‘There may not be much more to say at this point,’ Joseph Zwilling, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said.”
Meanwhile, starting after Sunday the 24th, you can get married for free (assuming you already have a license) in Central Park, Times Square, Washington Square Park, and these other locations.
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