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With Gillibrand, 'gay marriage' gets another Senate supporter

If supporters of "gay marriage" want a boost of confidence, they merely need to look at the U.S. Senate, where the number of supporters of "gay marriage" has grown quietly within the past year -- and apparently grew further Friday with the naming of a new senator from New York, reports Baptist Press.

One year ago, only two U.S. senators -- Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin -- publicly backed the legalization of "gay marriage." Today, that number is up to at least six, and could inch even higher depending on what happens to the open seat in Minnesota. All of the Senate's "gay marriage" backers are Democrats.

Both of California's senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, came out for "gay marriage" last year during their failed bid to prevent the passage of California Proposition 8, which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.

New U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon also backs "gay marriage" -- so much so that he placed a statement on his campaign website stating that he "strongly supports marriage equality and will lead the way for equal rights in the U.S. Senate." Merkley defeated former Sen. Gordon Smith, who opposed "gay marriage."

Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand became the latest supporter of "gay marriage" in the Senate when she was named by New York Gov. David A. Paterson to replace Hillary Clinton. Support for "gay marriage" is a new position for Gillibrand. The Empire State Pride Agenda, a homosexual activist group, released a statement Friday saying it been told by Gillibrand herself that she backs "gay marriage," the New York Daily News reported. She seemed to say as much during a recent interview with a New York homosexual media outlet when asked her position on "gay marriage."

"What I'd like to do legislatively, on the federal level -- and I think we'll be able to do this with the new president -- is actually make civil unions legal in all 50 states, make it the law of the land," she said, before adding, "I think the way you win this issue is you focus on getting the rights and privileges protected throughout the entire country, and then you do the state-by-state advocacy for having the title."

Additionally, Minnesota's Al Franken, who is trying to unseat Norm Coleman and led by 225 votes after a recount, favors "gay marriage." The victor apparently won't be known until after a recount trial.

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TAGS: USA Kirsten Gillibrand 'gay marriage' Senate supporter California Proposition 8

[01/27/2009]

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