RI Council of Churches applauds Boy Scouts
Rhode Island State Council of Churches released a statement today regarding the Boy Scouts of America’s recent decision to allow openly gay scouts to join and participate in the organization: Response to BSA Statement on Gender of Scouts and Leaders The Rhode Island State Council of Churches applauds the direction taken by the Boy Scouts [...]
Brown U Dems: unsung heroes of marriage equality
Marriage equality has finally come to Rhode Island, the last state in New England to enact full equality for same sex couples! Many organizations took part in this effort, but one group deserves extra special recognition in my mind; young activists, especially the College Democrats of Brown University. Young people overwhelming support equality for the [...]
A proud day to be a Rhode Islander
What a wonderful afternoon it was yesterday in Rhode Island. It was warm and sunny and flowers were bursting through the dirt and blooming from the branches of trees, and the tide was high as a full moon began to rise over Narragansett Bay. And, at long last, the state Senate gave its blessing to [...]
Rhode Island is for marriage equality
It’s as good as done. Marriage equality will be marriage reality with one more trip through the House, and a swipe of the governor’s pen. Just in time for wedding season! The Rhode Island Senate made history today passing S38 by a 26 to 12 vote, making Rhode Island the tenth state in the union [...]
Marriage equality: this is it!
Thousands of letters, tens of thousands of phone calls to legislators, and countless hours of hard work have all led up to this moment. After yesterday’s 7-4 vote in the Judiciary Committee, S-38, the bill that finally extends the freedom to marry to all loving and committed couples, will be voted on today by the [...]
Last call for marriage equality
The Senate is scheduled to vote on marriage equality today at 4:00 p.m. Equality opponents are certainly shocked that we have come this far, and they’re flooding Senators with calls and messages. For those who stand on the side of love: Please make some calls today, contact your legislator and let your voice be heard [...]
Rhode Island will win marriage equality today
Rhode Island will remove the last obstacle standing in the way of marriage equality today when the full Senate votes today at 4 p.m. If I’m right, we’ll become the 10th state in the nation – but the last in New England – to abolish same sex marriage discrimination. “We think that when the vote [...]
Committee moves marriage equality to full Senate
The Senate Judiciary Committee made history today with the passage of two bills regarding same sex marriage, and the defeat of a bill that would have put the question of marriage equality to a ballot vote in 2014. In a vote of 7-to-4, the committee passed SB 38, which redefines marriage as a union of [...]
GOP helps RI make marriage equality history
Congrats, Lil’ Rhodey! Remaining true to the uniqueness of this state that I have found so endearing, Rhode Island made history BEFORE voting on same-sex marriage. The Rhode Island Senate Republican caucus announced its support for a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the first legislative caucus in the nation to unanimously back marriage [...]
Big vote for marriage equality is today
For Rhode Island progressives, it’s the most widely-anticipated day of the 2013 legislative session. For anyone who values equal treatment under the law, it’s even bigger than that. Today is the day the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on marriage equality. The House already passed it overwhelmingly, the governor is a big supporter too and the [...]
NOM, Chris Plante: bark is worse than their bite
NOM-RI’s Chris Plante is becoming increasingly desperate in his efforts to block marriage equality in Rhode Island. The Westerly Sun reports on Plante’s newspaper ads that contained unveiled political threats against Republican Senator Dennis Algiere: If he ends up voting ‘yes,’ we will do what we can to unseat him. He will have broken with [...]
CoC leader: ‘Discrimination is bad for business’
The Rhode Island business community has overwhelmingly endorsed marriage equality, and largely stands opposed to the religious exemptions in the Ciccone bill. John Duffy, president of the PR firm Duffy & Shapley and chairman of the Greater providence Chamber of Commerce was quite clear, “Discrimination is expensive and bad for business,” he said on a [...]
Labor Vision on marriage equality
To get ready for the big marriage vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday watch this great Labor Vision (for which I am a sometime contributor!) segment on why local labor unions are working so hard get same sex marriage passed this year. Jim Parisi, of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health [...]
‘Weekend of Action’ for marriage equality
It’s a hugely important “weekend of action” if we want to win marriage equality for Rhode Island this legislative session. Devin Driscoll of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage has the details: With a vote expected any day, momentum is continuing to build behind marriage equality legislation pending before the General Assembly. Rhode Islanders United for [...]
Help stop the bullying of LGBTQ students
The Day of Silence is an annual protest organized by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, to protest the bullying of LGBTQ students in High Schools and college campuses across the country. The event, originally a grassroots effort started in 1996, was adopted by GLSEN in 2000 and in 2013 the 18th Day [...]
Kiwis passes marriage equality, sings love song
Wouldn’t it be great if marriage equality advocates broke out in song from the gallery seats in the senate chambers, like they did in New Zealand? The Kiwis became the 14th country to lift the ban on same sex marriage, according to ThinkProgress which posted this video of activists leading the parliament in a traditional [...]
How the right pushes for exemptions to equality
Marriage equality advocates took lot of hope from April 8th’s front page ProJo article in which Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed anticipated “a full Senate vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage by the end of April.” Good news indeed, but one needs to continue reading for the unpleasant bit. Paiva Weed is concerned [...]
Rhode Island Religious Leaders Stand Up For Love
On Sunday Rev. Geoffrey Black, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, and Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association spoke at a rally at the First Unitarian Church in Providence on Benefit St. Though opponents of marriage equality often cloak their arguments in dogmatic, Bible-inspired rhetoric it is important [...]
Warwick City Council Endorses Marriage Equality
The Warwick City Council last night became the latest to endorse marriage equality. By doing so, the Council joins a very long list that includes mayors, municipalities, churches, religious leaders, the governor, the House of Representatives and a majority of Rhode Islanders. In other words, pretty much the entire state except the Catholic Church and [...]
Local Churches Push For Marriage Equality Sunday
The Reverend James Ford of the First Unitarian Church writes: On April 7, 2013, you have an important opportunity to make your voice heard on marriage equality in Rhode Island. Join the Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Rev. Geoffrey Black, president of the United Church of Christ, who will [...]
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