In interviewing Maryland Lt. Governor
Anthony Brown on the chances that Maryland would become the sixth
state to legalize gay marriage, MSNBC host Thomas Roberts said he's
looking forward to marrying in the state.
Maryland
lawmakers have begun debate on whether to legalize the institution.
The state already recognizes the legal marriages of gay and lesbian
couples.
Brown told Roberts that he believed the
legislation would be approved and sent to Democratic Governor Martin
O'Malley for his signature by the end of the 2011 session in April.
“I think this is a real historic
moment for Maryland and an important moment for the country,” he
said. “Maryland is poised to be the sixth state to approve
marriage – extend marriage equality – to same-gender couples,”
said Brown. “The governor has stated on a number of occasions that
if the General Assembly sends him a bill to the second floor, he's
going to sign it.”
“I think it's real likely that bill
is going to make it to the second floor,” Brown said.
Brown added that he fully supports the
effort to legalize gay marriage.
“I say that what we ought to be doing
is looking at ways to strengthen families, to build families, and
when two individuals regardless of their gender, and whether its a
same-gender or opposite-gender union, when they want to come together
in the union of marriage and raise children and to care for those
children, love those children, give those children everything they
have, we ought to be supporting that. And I think that's what this
bill does.”
In concluding the segment, Roberts told
his guest: “I grew up in Baltimore. I was just home to visit my
family. I've been giving wedding gifts for years to all my friends.
It would be nice to think I can finally get some.” (The video is
embedded in the right panel of this page.)