Gay Marriage Atop the Empire State Building
For nearly 20 years couples have been getting married on top of New York's landmark Empire State Building on Valentine's Day. And while that tradition continued this Valentine's Day, there was one key difference; 2012 was the first time that same-sex couples were able to marry atop the 102-floor skyscraper.
Gay Marriage controversially became legal in New York in 2011, and remains a hotly debated topic in New York and other states across the country. New York was the sixth state to change the legal definition of marriage to include gays.
This year Valentine's Day came on the heels of a number of successes for gay activists, who are pushing for a redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples. A California appeal court recently ruled Prop. 8 unconstitutional and that case is likely to now move on towards the Supreme Court. Also in recent days, Washington State and New Jersey passed same-sex marriage bills.
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However, those opposing the drive to redefine marriage have also experienced a degree of success. Recent reports have claimed that New Hampshire is considering repealing their gay marriage law Republican State Representative David Bates told NPR, "I think it's time to move back, back to the true meaning of marriage."
The National Organization for Marriage opposes any kind of redefinition of marriage. The organization simply states, the homosexual community does not "have the right to redefine marriage for all of us."
On the very day Washington state signed their gay marriage law, GOP candidate Rick Santorum met at a church with some of the state's conservatives who are fighting against the drive to redefine marriage. Santorum told the Seattle Times, "I encouraged [those who oppose gay marriage] to continue the fight. There are ebbs and flows in every battle, and this is not the final word."
Santorum has also since added, "We have a serious issue about trying to get moms and dads to marry and stay together, and I don't see this [legalizing gay marriage] as encouraging that."
