From the Hudson to the Merrimack: Let Freedom Ring

By JULIA MOREIRA

Two years after rejection of same-sex marriage by the New York State Senate, the Marriage Equality Act passed by a vote of 33 to 29 on June 24th and was signed in by Governor Andrew Cuomo, granting this long-awaited right to same-sex pairings.

Students, interns and faculty at the first Diversity Alliance meeting

Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had made same-sex marriage one of his top priorities as governor, rallied supporters and donors who focused on the issue as one of personal freedom. “Their love is worth the same as your love,” Cuomo said, according to the New York Times. These words and others spoken by the New York governor helped in legalizing same-sex marriage in the state on June 24th. Strategists, lawmakers and other political advocates assembled in sometimes secretive meetings to make the dream of so many New Yorkers a reality with the passing of the law. “I have to do this,” Cuomo told his father, according to the Times. The vast number of those who relied on him to accomplish his goal, including supporters who would wait on the streets in order to speak to the governor about the issue, set his determination. However, this goal had to be achieved by winning over the Republican majority in the senate. A small number of wealthy Republicans eventually joined the movement after a persuasion that conflicted with their usual political party stance on the subject, and the words by Cuomo were able to sway even unlikely candidates for support. New York, the original state where the national gay-rights movement began and gained momentum, is inspiration to other states to legalize same-sex marriage.



This issue has been essential to many organizations and movements across the nation. New York’s momentous decision shed light on the subject and displayed the amount of people who supported it. In New York, the legalization was not only a social or political issue, but also an economic one. Couples who are wed will have access to joint credit, shared health care benefits, and other forms of combined finances to increase economic security. In May of 2009, New York City’s Comptroller’s office held that the economy of the state could gain $210 million in the three years following the law by an increase in weddings, and consequently, purchases of services such as venues, flower arrangements, catering, etc.

For many, support has been justified by the simple idea of equality. The world is diverse, and those who differ from the present “norm” of society cannot be ignored or worse, denied their freedoms. The truth is we, as people, all come from different backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles. These differences should not tear us apart, but rather, unite us.

The Advanced Studies Program embraces the idea of those with different perspectives and beliefs being joined together. Not only are the students at St. Paul’s unique, but there is also a Diversity Alliance to celebrate individuality and the ability to discuss topics that many often avoid, including sexuality. The first meeting was held on Thursday, June 30th in the lower room of the dining hall; a variety of students, interns, and faculty attended. Discussions included religious experiences, ethnicity issues, and common differences between individuals, as well as how to define diversity. As a present member of the alliance, I appreciated the insight gained on the unique aspects of members of ASP by sharing and examining the question of “who am I?” in a welcome environment. Aside from being discussion based, the group also made plans to actively engage the community in the future.

Legalization of same-sex marriage proved a huge leap in movements for personal rights and social issues because of the longevity of the movement. It proved that the hopes of a branch of individuals could be realized, as their uniqueness was no longer a means for constriction by the lack of the law. The world we live in today is not uniform; it is a mixture of different ideals and perspectives. We must learn to accept diversity and set it free.