Blind Prophecy

It’s been an exciting day.

Congrats, Salt Lake!

Pro-gay statutes win city, LDS nod
Surprise move » Parties met in secret to reach common ground.
By Matt Canham, Derek P. Jensen And Rosemary Winters
The Salt Lake Tribune

Hours after the LDS Church announced its support Tuesday night of proposed Salt Lake City ordinances aimed at protecting gay and transgender residents from discrimination in housing and employment, the City Council unanimously approved the measures.

“The church supports these ordinances,” spokesman Michael Otterson told the council, “because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage.”

They also are consistent with Mormon teachings, he said. “I believe in a church that believes in human dignity, in treating people with respect even when we disagree — in fact, especially when we disagree.”

Normally more deliberate, the council opted to vote after dozens of residents in the overflowing crowd expressed their support.

“Guaranteeing a right to fair housing and fair employment is not an issue of compromise,” Councilwoman Jill Remington Love said. “We are a stronger, better city this evening. I’m proud to serve on a City Council where this isn’t even controversial.”

Congrats, Washington DC!

D.C. council committee approves same-sex marriage bill
by Tim Craig
The Washington Post

A DC Council Committee voted 4 to 1 this afternoon to send a bill legalizing same-sex marriage to the full council for debate.

Council member Phil Mendelson, chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary, said the legislation was “both simple and monumental.”

With the committee vote, the full council will take up the bill in early December. It is expected to easily pass.

“We will get this to the mayor and Congress and it will become law,” said Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2).

Suck it, New York!

State Senate Delays Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Bill
By Jeremy W. Peters
The New York Times

The fate of same-sex marriage collided with the often-dysfunctional political process here on Tuesday as the State Senate delayed a vote on a bill that would make it legal for gay and lesbian couples to marry in New York.

After an entire day of deliberations, Senate leaders emerged from the governor’s office late Tuesday with only a vague agreement that the bill would come to a vote before the end of the year.

Gov. David A. Paterson had placed the bill on the agenda for an emergency session that convened Tuesday, and gay rights advocates had been aggressively lobbying for an immediate vote. But the legislation’s prospects have grown cloudier in recent days. Supporters have had difficulty securing the 32 votes they need for approval in the Senate, and a dispute between Mr. Paterson and legislative leaders over how to close a budget deficit that now exceeds $3 billion has held up votes on major legislation.

Mr. Paterson said he would continue negotiating with legislative leaders on budget cuts this week and would call lawmakers back to Albany on Monday and Tuesday of next week. He said he would again include marriage on the agenda, but it remained unclear whether the Senate would debate it next week or wait until later in the year.

“I think that the vote is closer than people think,” he said in an interview.

He added, “It is one of those rare types of legislation that you never know what people are going to do until it hits the floor.”

Seriously, New York, you’re going to be shamed on the queer equality political action by Salt Lake City? I know there’s a difference between nondiscrimination ordinances and marriage equality, but just for today… SLC Council bravery > NY Senate cowardice.

Filed under: politics, queer rights by Jere Keys