New York court dismisses gay marriage challenge

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Daniel Weissner
Fri Jul 6, 2012 6:09pm EDT

(Reuters) - A New York appeals courts on Friday threw out the first legal challenge to the state's same-sex marriage law, dismissing a Christian group's claim the behind-the-scenes lobbying that preceded the law's passage had been improper.

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, an evangelical Christian group, claimed the state Senate's Republican majority violated the state Open Meetings Law in June 2011 when it met with Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg behind closed doors to discuss marriage legislation.

The group said its senior lobbyist, Rev. Duane Motley and co-plaintiff Rabbi Nathaniel Leiter, were barred from the meetings.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

The group argued that "conferences and caucuses" may only have meetings behind closed doors with private guests if those guests are from the same political party. It claimed the Senate Republican majority's meetings with the Democratic governor and Bloomberg, an Independent, ran afoul of the law.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/06/us-usa-gaymarriage-newyork-idUSBRE86513A20120706

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Good grief.....give it a rest.........

These people won't rest until they deny someone else the same rights AND OBLIGATIONS they themselves enjoy and are held to.

I'm glad the judge saw through this ruse and rejected the claims outright.

Because I am a believer that our judicial system must be open to all who have a credible claim before our courts I do not believe in penalizing a party that loses with court and related costs. That would have be chilling effect on claims, especially those by those of no or minimum means against powerful, well-funded interests.

But in this case I wish this Xtian group would have to pay for the cost incurred to New York taxpayers as a result of these baseless and hate-motivated claims.

[RKP5637]

3. Exactly, it's a pure hate-motivated claim. Some in religion use religion as a

cloak to cover their hatefulness, authoritarianism and control freak personalities. I've seen it too often. Not all religious people are this way, but some sure are. When someone tells me they are religions, red flags go up. I don't trust them.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. I forgot who said it...

but it went something like "puritanism- the fear that someone, somewhere is having fun". Big thumbs up for New York.

[RKP5637]

2. Why some people have to work so hard to ruin others lives escapes me. I know all

christians are not like this. It's a shame religion is not used to try to help heal this nation. Too often by some groups it's used for divisiveness, persecution and the ruination of others. What a shame.

I left religion decades ago and never looked back and the better for it IMO. I've just seen too many examples in my life of religion hurting others than helping them. I'm sure others have experienced the opposite, but that's what I've experienced.

[BBGC]

4. There was a Rabbi leading this challenge as well

There is a huge challenge to same sex marriage in New York from Jewish groups just as much as Christians. IMO all religions are working to take us back to some of the worst aspects of human history.

[RKP5637]

5. Thanks for the update. It amazes me how some in religion are so damn

backward. When I look back at history, and admittedly I am not an expert, I see some of the worst times when religion was synonymous with governing. To me religion has always been about power, control, domination and politics.

[RKP5637]

6. PS: Welcome to DU!!!

[awoke_in_2003]

8. Religion isn't about healing...

it is about control and obedience. Nothing more, nothing less.

[RKP5637]

9. Yep, that's pretty much what I've concluded. And usually the pastor, whomever,

is an authoritarian on an ego trip, at least the ones I've come across. In this country mention the god word and it gives you some kind of free pass by the lemmings ... and no taxes. What a deal.

[awoke_in_2003]

10. unfortunately, too many people don't get it...

I love the ones who have to say "Well, Stalin and Mao were atheists". Communist regimes are not atheist because they don't believe in god, they proclaim they are atheist, and enforce it on the people, because they do NOT want to share control.

[RKP5637]

12. A friend of one of my friends made a huge fortune selling religious

items to the faithful. He was not religious in the least, just saw a good business opportunity ... said the faithful were so easy to sell stuff too ... He also went the New Age route too, said they were a good sell.

Yep, many people just don't get it ... I'm always amazed. And many just don't get what you were saying about Stalin and Mao. Just another WTF to me. It's not that hard to find out what's /was going on, some just don't seem to want to bother, so they go through life parroting falsehoods and blind beliefs. Amazing.

[underpants]

11. So the out in the open haters didn't like the formally in the closet gays being out in the open

except that they (the open haters) were not invited?

I must say......

[RKP5637]

13. Also always gets to me when those persecuted in life/history turn around

and persecute others. Just another WTF. See post #4.

[closeupready]

15. Alerted.

nt

[Neoma]

16. S/he's gone.

Good alert.

[closeupready]

17. Thank you, Neoma!

And jury, of course.

[GoneOffShore]

18. Do you think that that poster was one of Santorums sock puppets?

The talking points were the same.