Gay Marriage Legally Valid in New York State

Legalizing same sex marriage is almost as controversial as legalizing marijuana, but progress is being made. Marijuana is legal in some states for medicinal use, and actually available in vending machines in Los Angeles. Now gay marriage must legally be recognized in the state of New York.

According to a NY Times article, "As a practical matter, marriages of gay couples entered into outside of the state have been recognized in recent years by many state and local agencies, and by private employers for purposes of allowing (certain) work benefits. But others have resisted doing so voluntarily." Rules by an appelate court in Rochester NY on Friday, recognizing same sex marriage is now mandatory legally.
(State Court Recognizes Gay Marriages From Elsewhere)

This could lead to a breakthrough in the legal obstacles of validating same sex union, and I for one am proud to be a resident of the state that took this step. (Though Los Angeles wouldn't be a bad place to be right now either.) The important thing is that everyone is entitled to their own opinions on any given matter, and I support that right as well as anyone else should.

Opinions will flare about this, I'm sure, and that's what makes news. What would local channels show during early evening hours if there wasn't an equal and opposite reaction to situations like the recognition of same sex marriage? I feel that the upset in this situation is not only what makes headlines... it's what prolongs the unfolding of basic human rights.

A Yahoo News article quotes Donna Lieberman (executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union) stating "This is a victory for families, a victory for fairness, and a victory for human rights). Now we need to work toward a New York where you don't have to cross state or country lines to get married."
(N.Y. Court Declares Out-of-State Gay Marriage Valid)

This opinion, of course, has an equal and opposite opinion. Florida's coalition to 'protect marriage' claims that "Same sex marriages subject children to a vast, untested social experiment. Children need a mom and a dad." (MarriageProtection.org)

With the issue of same sex being valid or not all being based on people's opinions, it is a big step for the legal recognition of same sex marriage in the state of New York.

Basically, just because you don't agree with something doesn't mean you should avoid acknowledging it's existence. Although there are people who oppose same sex unions, it exists and should have the same legal rights as 'any other person'. When you take away those legal rights, you are taking away that person's humanity by telling them they're 'different', something they have already been forced to go through socially.