Groups opposed to gay marriage are
readying campaigns in New York.
On Wednesday, the National Organization
for Marriage (NOM), the nation's most vociferous opponent of gay
marriage, began mobilizing its members with an “urgent marriage
alert.”
“The New York State Legislature is
expected to vote on a same-sex marriage bill soon,” NOM President
Brian Brown wrote. “Please take action today urging your senator
and assemblyman to stand for marriage.”
According to NOM, lawmakers will
consider the bill after a two-week recess that ends on May 2nd.
“That gives us two weeks to contact
legislators in defense of marriage!”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest gay rights advocate, noted that a second group, the
Coalition to Save Marriage in New York – described by HRC as “a
veritable 'Who's Who' of anti-LGBT groups across the state' – is
also urging members to take action.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he'll
helm this year's effort to legalize gay marriage in the state later
this Spring.
HRC's
New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign began last year and
features prominent celebrities and politicians urging New Yorkers to
support marriage equality.
A
poll released last week shows a majority (58%) of New York voters
support giving gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. Despite
popular voter support, passage in the Republican-controlled Senate,
where a similar bill died in 2009, remains a major hurdle.