“Moving In The Direction” Of Supporting Same-Sex Marriage
According to an article in SILive.com, Councilman James Oddo is considering an about-face when it comes to his previous opposition to same-sex marriage in New York State.
As a city council member, Mr. Oddo can’t vote on legalizing same-sex marriage. That’s up to the New York State Legislature. But his posturing is a sign of recent changes in attitude among many pragmatic conservatives, particularly in a liberal city like New York.
State Senator Andrew Laza (R- Staten Island) is another, even more relevant, example of an officeholder who’s considering his options and speaking with same-sex marriage proponents over a possible “yes” vote.
Councilman Oddo, who said he had (emphasis added) been “unequivocally opposed” to same-sex marriage, said he is “emotionally moving in the direction” of supporting it. He said the change of heart springs from his friendship with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is gay, Oddo told SILive. “I am probably not a ‘no,’ but I am not quite a ‘yes.’ The answers I used to give in the past [in opposition] seem to ring hollow now. But I was raised to believe marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman. I had 18 years of Catholic education.”
As politicians look to an increasingly open-minded voter base, it seems that a sea change in public policy concerning same-sex marriage is quickly turning from possibility into probability.
Councilman Oddo represents the 50th Council District, which includes a large swath of central Staten Island, as well as parts of Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst.
SILive: Legalizing same-sex marriage in N.Y. seems a matter of when, not if
