New York State Communist Party hails move to extend same-sex marriage rights in New York State
Governor David Paterson has introduced legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of New York. In doing so, he seeks to bring our state in line with others, like Massachusetts and Iowa, in calling for the legal recognition of full human rights for all Americans, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) persons who have faced historical and systematic discrimination in every facet of their lives. This is an important initiative for progressive and democratic social change, and the New York State Communist Party enthusiastically supports it as such.
Our support for full marriage equality is in keeping with our Party’s proud tradition of supporting progressive social struggles for the freedom and dignity of all human beings. Our long-standing work for African American equality, for union rights, for women’s rights, and against illegal and immoral wars of conquest and colonization all speak to our traditional commitment to human rights and dignity. We see efforts to provide equal marriage rights for LGBT members of our communities in the same light.
Some opponents of equal marriage rights have asserted that LGBT marriages threaten heterosexual marriages. We find that argument to be spurious. We think that the destruction of union jobs, the collapse of the working class housing market, skyrocketing college tuitions, and military policies such as “stop-loss,” for examples, are the real threats to stable family life. LGBT marriages pose no such threat. Such doomsaying on the part of opponents of marriage equality remind us of the dire predictions that were made when interracial marriages were decriminalized. These arguments tend to veil the spirit of hatred and bigotry that underlies real efforts to extend equal rights to all.
While we wish that our state, home to the Stonewall uprising that began the modern LGBT Rights movement in June of 1969, would have moved sooner, we salute both the activists who have demanded full social equality for LGBT members of our communities, and, while we have strong disagreements on Governor Paterson on economic issues, those of our elected representatives who have taken up the cause of equality.
We pledge our support for this initiative in particular, and for the full realization of equal rights for all LGBT members of our communities in general. To do less would be for us to insult our own legacy of unstinting support for the realization of full rights for, and the recognition of human dignity of, all.
NY State Communist Party
Our support for full marriage equality is in keeping with our Party’s proud tradition of supporting progressive social struggles for the freedom and dignity of all human beings. Our long-standing work for African American equality, for union rights, for women’s rights, and against illegal and immoral wars of conquest and colonization all speak to our traditional commitment to human rights and dignity. We see efforts to provide equal marriage rights for LGBT members of our communities in the same light.
Some opponents of equal marriage rights have asserted that LGBT marriages threaten heterosexual marriages. We find that argument to be spurious. We think that the destruction of union jobs, the collapse of the working class housing market, skyrocketing college tuitions, and military policies such as “stop-loss,” for examples, are the real threats to stable family life. LGBT marriages pose no such threat. Such doomsaying on the part of opponents of marriage equality remind us of the dire predictions that were made when interracial marriages were decriminalized. These arguments tend to veil the spirit of hatred and bigotry that underlies real efforts to extend equal rights to all.
While we wish that our state, home to the Stonewall uprising that began the modern LGBT Rights movement in June of 1969, would have moved sooner, we salute both the activists who have demanded full social equality for LGBT members of our communities, and, while we have strong disagreements on Governor Paterson on economic issues, those of our elected representatives who have taken up the cause of equality.
We pledge our support for this initiative in particular, and for the full realization of equal rights for all LGBT members of our communities in general. To do less would be for us to insult our own legacy of unstinting support for the realization of full rights for, and the recognition of human dignity of, all.
NY State Communist Party
