Today, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Christiane Amanpour on ABC’s “This Week” to discuss New York’s implementation of its same-sex marriage law. New York’s same-sex marriage law allows New Yorkers of the same gender to obtain a marriage license. In implementing this law, New York becomes the largest state to advance gay-rights in the nation. New York’s same-sex marriage law took effect at midnight on Sunday, giving thousands of same-sex couples the opportunity to tie the knot on the first day of same-sex marriage in New York.
Amanpour’s decision to interview Bloomberg on New York’s same-sex marriage law is without question tied to the mayor’s energetic push for same-sex marriage in New York back when the law was being voted on in Albany. In May, Bloomberg let it be known that he would support the reelection campaign of any Republican state senator who helped pass New York’s same-sex marriage law.
“To me, America has always stood for the freedom to practice your religion, say what you want to say, do what you want to do as long as it doesn’t hurt others,” Bloomberg said about the needed to “rectify the injustices” of the past.
Bloomberg also responded to a quote from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), an official candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, read by Amanpour. Bachmann has been a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage in any state. “I just couldn’t disagree more, but [...] she has the right to run for president and if the public wants to side with her, then they will,” Bloomberg professed.
Bloomberg also argued that the passage of New York’s same-sex marriage law should be a day of celebration for Republicans, because same-sex marriage is a confirmation of Republican values. “They [Republicans] want the government out of your personal life” and “they think that marriage is a stabilizing influence on society,” Bloomberg said in defining what he believes are Republican values.
During the interview, Bloomberg was joined by two of his top aides who the mayor will marry later today. One of Bloomberg’s aides said that “to our daughters” New York’s same-sex marriage law “will make a huge difference to them, to feel like everything’s equal.”
Source: http://www.thestatecolumn.com/capitol/nyc-mayor-michael-bloomberg-discusses-new-yorks-same-sex-marriage-law/#ixzz1T4FGIdU3
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6:02 PM
Mayor Officiates His Aides' Same-Sex Marriage
By: NY1 News
Mayor Michael Bloomberg was scheduled to preside Sunday evening over the marriage between his Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz and mayoral advisor John Feinblatt at Gracie Mansion in the Upper East Side.
Feinblatt and Mintz, who met 14 years ago, are raising two daughters.
In a Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week", the mayor said the state's same-sex marriage law is just one example of the country's steady march toward establishing total equality.
"To me, America has always stood for the freedom to practice your religion, say what you want to say, do what you want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt others and also not impose any one person's religion on others, and in this case it's doing both," Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg added that he expects same-sex marriage to become the norm as opinions continue to evolve.
The mayor has the authority to officiate wedding ceremonies, but he has only done it twice before -- for his own daughter Emma in 2005 and when former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani married Judi Nathan in 2003.
New York is the sixth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Source: http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/143576/mayor-officiates-his-aides--same-sex-marriage
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Photo (Courtesy) http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/mayor-takes-charge-of-citys-first-gay-wedding-20110722-1hspk.html
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