A New York State of Mind in Wisconsin

It was bittersweet watching last night's New York State Senate vote to legalize gay marriage. While my emotional state was almost entirely joyous (and a little misty-eyed, I won't lie), there was that tinge of bitterness over the current political situation in my home state of Wisconsin. We have an unconstitutional amendment that bans gay marriage, a Republican-controlled Legislature, and a ideologue Republican governor. It's hard to imagine a day when we'll be in a place where such a vote could come up and actually have any chance of passing here.

But it will happen. As the saying goes, the tide of history is most definitely on our side.

Hour by hour, day by day, there is no stopping the march toward a more just society. The kids are all right. The parents are even catching up. And some day soon the entire nation will finally live up to the ideals upon which it was founded and enshrine legal recognition of our common equality in the Constitution itself (which, it should be mentioned, technically already does this).

I am so happy for the people of New York today - everyone who spent so much time, shed so many tears, worked so many long hours to make this happen - and every committed couple finally able to obtain legal recognition of their families. I'm proud of the New York legislators who were able to shed partisan politics and come together for a greater good.

And I am hopeful, despite everything that's happened here in the last several months (or maybe because of), that Wisconsin will also find its way to that same place of justice for all, and malice toward none.

Now, New Yorkers, get out there and gay marry! You've got 30 days to plan the most fabulous weddings ever imagined.