If the political figureheads of New York – supposedly among the most liberal states in the union and at the heart of progressive change – can't come out and fully support gay marriage, then why should any other politico? That's what the New York Observer's Ron Rosenbaum is asking this week, and it's point blank blatant argument. Is there even a grey area here?

I really want to know: Why is it that New York State’s two liberal Senators have refused to come out in favor of same-sex marriage rights? Yes, they support civil unions, partnership health benefits, hospital visits—all admirable. But without marriage rights, it’s second-class citizenship. Separate and unequal. And both Senators opposed the noxious attempt to pass a federal constitutional amendment forbidding same-sex marriage. Also admirable. But they’ve both refused to come out in support of a state amendment or legislation to make same-sex marriage legal here. [...]

What kind of message does that send to the rest of the country, the rest of the Democratic Party? That even New York’s Senators lack the political courage to come out for gay marriage, so why should any politician in the rest of the country take a risk?

Has the Democrats’ consultant-driven terror in the face of “values voters” so disabled them from defending the civil-rights values that they used to stand for? Instead of cowering behind “civil unions,” why shouldn’t we have New York Senators who will take a leadership position on the values at stake in this issue: Make the case to voters that there are “values,” good old-fashioned American values, that would support ending this kind of discrimination.

Certainly there are political motivations to consider. Though Hillary Clinton publicly denies she's gearing up for a presidential run, it's in the cards — and pro-gay marriage would be a step out of her centrist platform. But there's a New York tradition of standing up for the disadvantaged, fighting "or civil-rights legislation, for anti-lynching and anti-segregation legislation, when it was not about focus groups but about being on the side of the disadvantaged." There's also another New York tradition Rosenbaum doesn't mention: growing some balls. It's time to honor the ritual, Hill.

Gay Marriage Is Love; Why Are Chuck, Hillary Skittish on the Topic? [NYO]