Never has gay pride meant so much to New York’s Queens than it will this Sunday. Sure, celebrating our culture is important every year! But this year’s 17th annual Queens Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade in Jackson Heights takes on a special meaning: It’s hoping to send a message to a certain anti-gay state senator.
As Sen. Thomas Duane fights to lock up 32 votes to pass a gay marriage bill, Queens Sen. George Onorato remains among the staunch anti-gay legislators who refuse to sign on board. Like Bronx Sen. Ruben Diaz, Onorato remains in the “no” column.
(Interestingly, Bronx Sen. Pedro Espada — who originally teamed with Diaz and fellow anti-gay Sen. Carl Kruge from Brooklyn to form the “Gang of Three” that almost kept Malcolm Smith from the majority leader seat — is in the “yes” column.)
So how much impact can some 40,000 Queens marchers have on one state senator? Empire State Pride Agenda director Alan Van Capelle says a parade won’t impact a vote, “but I think a parade is the time to display the deep and broad support that the gay community enjoys.
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Meanwhile, confronted with the issue, Onorato said yesterday, “Although I remain opposed to same-sex marriage, I deeply respect the views of the advocates and will not take any action to prevent the bill from coming up for a vote in the Senate.”
DaveO
Shouldn’t that say queens will march in Queens?
Full disclosure – I grew up in Queens.
Bruno
He’s not the only Democrat bigot from Queens: there’s Shirley Huntley as well, who said she wouldn’t vote for marriage equality even if someone gave her a huge tax-free bribe. Which the bitch would obviously think twice about.
I’m glad to see New Yorkers putting the pressure on him though.
galefan2004
That is exactly what we need to stop the bigotry that is in New York. Nothing makes people feel more at ease with gay rights than a bunch of half naked men and drag queens walking down the city streets. Its this kind of “gay culture” that the pulpit bullies scream about on a weekly basis to begin with.
Mike Barton
@Bruno: She’s apparently thought of it more than twice already if she had to add the tax-free part…
schlukitz
@galefan2004:
Oh please. The straights have Mardi Gras…a “straight culture” with tons of half naked people (and some nudity as well)both male and female, and no one bitches about that.
Are we supposed to act and behave like angels with a squueky clean image just so we can be accepted by the pulpit bullies?
Choke ’em if they can’t take a fuck!
Andrew
“Although I remain opposed to same-sex marriage, I deeply respect the views of the advocates…”
“Deeply respect the views of the advocates…” ? Really? The Senator deeply respects the view. Wow. Now I feel so much better. In fact, my life is now complete knowing he “deeply respects” my view.
I deeply respect his right to continue being a total flaming asshole.