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Month: January 2013
When will RI Senate take up marriage equality
After all, it got voted last Thursday in the House to overwhelming approval. So I have to ask what the hell the Senate in RI is waiting for to hear this bill. I haven’t seen anything on any committee hearing on it yet. I wonder what the hell they are waiting for?
Champions of Marriage Equality in the RI House
I’ve already put up the Rogues gallery but I thought it would be a good time to highlight the people who pushed the bill forward:
Speaker Gordon Fox
Judiciary Chair Edith Ajello
Representative Frank Ferri
Representative Christopher Blazejewski
Representative Art Handy
Representative Teresa Tanzi
In Preparation for the Senate Marriage Equality Battle in Rhode Island
So you can see I posted a Rogues Gallery of all the Representatives who voted against marriage equality. Some of the names on the list rang bells for me.
So I did some digging and found out a number of them had graduated from LaSalle Academy, same as I had. In fact one I definitely knew of as he graduated the year before me. Others graduated when I began high school.
So I’m scanning through the 38 Senators now. I figure lets identify those with whom I share an alma mater. It could be useful.
Sen. William J. Conley Jr. is on the Board of Regents of LaSalle. Now as far as I recall you had to be a grad of the school to serve so it’s likely he is though his bio doesn’t mention that.
Sen. Daniel DaPonte graduated from LaSalle Academy in 1996
Sen. Paul W. Fogarty graduated LaSalle Academy, no year indicated.
Sen. Dominick J. Ruggerio – graduated from LaSalle Academy in 1966
Sen. William A. Walaska – graduated LaSalle Academy, no year provided.
That’s five out of thirty eight, or 13% of the Senate are affiliate with and/or graduated from LaSalle Academy.
What’s more interesting as I went through lots of schools starting with Saint, Bishop etc. in there.
The Rogues Gallery of RI Representatives that voted AGAINST Marriage Equality
I’ve already posted the roll over here on scribd.
But I figured it would be especially derisive to post the photos of those who voted against us.
And if you like, go hit the House site and lookup the legislators and see what they do for a living. You may want to avoid them in the future.
So to begin with the gallery of the 19 who voted against us in our quest for full equality and note, I tagged all LaSalle Academy grads, since I graduated from LaSalle in 1982 and we all share an alma mater. And in fact a full 26% of the bigots graduated from LaSalle. I don’t get it, I went to the same school and I didn’t turn out to be an asshat.
Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro – Deputy Majority Leader
Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt
Rep. John M. Carnevale (LaSalle Academy Class of 1979)
Rep. Stephen M. Casey
Rep. Michael W. Chippendale – Senior Deputy Minority Leader
Rep. Arthur J. Corvese – Deputy Majority Leader
Rep. Doreen M. Costa – Deputy Minority Whip
Rep. Gregory J. Costantino (LaSalle Academy Class of 1978)
Rep. Antonio Giarrusso
Rep. Raymond A. Hull (LaSalle Academy Class of 1981 – they year before me!)
Rep. Raymond H. Johnston, Jr.
Rep. Jan Malik
Rep. James N. McLaughlin – the incoherent one of the bunch of bigots
Rep. Patricia L. Morgan
Rep. Robert D. Phillips
Rep. William San Bento Jr. – Deputy Majority Leader
Rep. Joseph A. Trillo – Deputy Minority Whip (LaSalle Academy grad, no year available)
Rep. Stephen R. Ucci – Majority Whip (LaSalle Academy Class of 1989)
Rep. Thomas J. Winfield
THe Entire Marriage Equality Debate and Vote on 01-24-2013
Here’s the entire debate – the bigots, the supporters and the ludicrous. This one even includes the invocation. And the Representative giving the invocation, Martin, he voted in the affirmative for equality!
RI Marriage Equality Vote Highlight Reel
I’ll be posting a Rogues Gallery later on with photos of all the bigots who voted against us. You know, just so we know who are true enemies are.
RI House Passes Marriage Equality 51-19!
For you numerically inclined, 72% voted for the H-5015-A the Marriage Equality bill.
27% percent voted against and we can be sure Rep. Trillo, Rep. Corvese, McLaughlin et al were that 19 people.
Now on to the senate. But here’s the thing, this passed with more than a mandate. Senate President Paiva-Weed needs to let this vote.
The list of those who voted for, against and those who abstained can be found here.
RI House Judiciary Unanimously Passes Marriage Equality Bill
This is interesting. Kudos to Speaker Fox for finally growing a pair. It took you a long time Gordon but nice to see the stars aligning.
Now I know there is one Tea Bagger on the committee – one Rep. Doreen Costa. But even she voted for it. That is remarkable. And a big thank you to Chair Edith Ajello. She’s long been in our camp but just came to the chair a couple years back.
Now on to a house vote. The bill has 42 co-sponsors of the 75 member body. That’s a full 56% of the body and I suspect the passage in the house will go even higher. Now it’s up to Senate President M. Terese Pavia-Weed to let it vote in the committee and schedule it for a senate vote.
An Historic Time
I was rather surprised to hear President Obama say “…from Seneca to Selma to Stonewall…”
He will be noted in the history books twice, first for being the first African-American President, but for being the first President who supported full equality for the LGBT community.
Really quite remarkable when you think about. And 2012 will go into the books as the first time the Democratic party added marriage equality to their platform.
I never thought I’ be alive for a time when we LGBT people got the full measure of rights because of true leaders. And believe me, President Obama is a true leader.
Spewing Truth in the face of Lies 