As I mentioned in many recent emails, I lived from years 4-12 in Maplewood, NJ, and from ages 12-18 in Portland, OR, before the constant move to various colleges, seminaries, and universities. My life began in Brooklyn, NY. I was born in Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, and we lived on Flatbush Ave. until 4 years old. I've always held on to my New Yorker identity, for better or worse, whether living in Oregon or in North Carolina, though I do not have a New York accent.
My pride in the state of New York was polished or bolstered in the last few hours when I read this article in which the Governor of NY made it possible for all state agencies to recognize gay marriages from other states or countries as a "marriage" in the state of New York as well:
"Gov. David A. Paterson has directed all state agencies to begin to revise their policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, like Massachusetts, California and Canada."
Click here for more.
Again: it is crazy that we live in a country in which those of us who are LGBT, married in other states or countries, do not have these marriages recognized in certain other states. This is not something that people who are heterosexuals have to worry about or think about at all. Heterosexuals married in Oregon are in marriages that are recognized in all 49 other states. But such is not the case of those of us who are LGBT and married. I understand that this is a matter of state's rights, but, come on!
"You go, New York!"
Now, "Come on, North Carolina!"
Peace, Brett
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