New York: Another Victory for Marriage Equality

New York became the sixth state to grant gay and lesbian couples the right to marry Friday night. The bill, which passed the Democratic controlled NY House overwhelmingly, was finally passed in the GOP controlled state senate 33-29, with the support of four Republicans. It was a major victory for the national struggle for marriage equality because with the victory in New York the number of gay couples who can legally marry has doubled, and it was only the second time a state legislature was not forced to legalize same-sex marriage by a court order. Gov. Cuomo signed the bill before midnight.

New York Win Celebrated Far and Wide

New York Gay Marriage Victory Transforms National Debate

New York City Celebrates Marriage Victory (Pictures)

Unfortunately, President Obama was NOT a "fierce advocate" for LGBT equality as Gov. Cuomo.
Obama's Gay Marriage Wimp Out

Obama's Gay Marriage Stance in Spotlight as NY Nears Legalization | AlterNet

Obama's Gay Marriage Stance in Spotlight as NY Nears Legalization | AlterNet

Harold Ford Jr. Makes Marriage Equality Video

My former political opponent, former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr.,  made a video in support of gay marriage in his new home state of New York.  I believe he supports gay marriage now, he LIED when he campaigned against gay rights, including marriage, when he was pandering for the bigot vote in Tennessee and bragged about his support of the anti-gay marriage amendment.  My opinion of him has not changed.  Sorry Jr.

Harold Ford Jr. Makes Marriage Equality Video

New York Assembly Approves Gay Marriage

The New York state Assembly approved same-sex marriage on Wednesday and the bill is likely to face a vote in the Senate on Friday, where it only needs support from one more senator to pass.

"Justice For All" Rally Seeks to Unify Progressive Causes - WREG

"Justice For All" Rally Seeks to Unify Progressive Causes - WREG

A coalition of progressives groups representative women, labor, immigrants, and the LGBT community, organized a rally Saturday in Memphis to protest recent actions by the conservative Republican Tennessee legislature to restrict the collective bargaining rights of public employees, cut funding for Planned Parenthood, and to rollback and prohibit local laws to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians and LGBT people. 

In addition to anti-gay and anti-labor legislation at the state level, the Memphis City government is considering proposals to privatize sanitation services and destroy the local AFSCME labor union that Dr. MLK came to Memphis to march with to protest low wages prior to his assassination.