New York on Marriage from the Gotham Gazette

The secretive, "emergency" process by which same-sex marriage was brought to New York last Friday night has left many outraged—even some supporters of same-sex marriage.

The ugly details of the process by which same-sex marriage came to New York is still coming to light. Here's how the Gotham Gazette describes it:

Essentially the Senate rules were changed in a backroom agreement before session started and then changed again during the vote to make sure it would be concluded to make the 11 p.m. newscasts.
Sen. Kevin Parker, a long time proponent of same-sex marriage, was informed by Senate staff that he would not be able to explain his vote. He was livid. He cursed out the governor and eventually stormed to the podium where Duffy was presiding—a number of other Democratic senators followed him, seemingly to calm him down.
Earlier when Sen. Ruben Diaz tried to lay the marriage bill aside he was ignored. Normal Senate procedure allows for any senator to lay a bill aside for debate. It gives legislators a chance to debate the bill then when they vote, they again have the chance to explain their vote. But the rules weren't the same. . . .
After realizing he would not be allowed to speak despite his protests, Parker tried to leave the floor. The door he tried to exit was locked. Earlier Duffy had asked the crowd not to leave the chamber during the vote. Cuomo's people—staff and security—had been in and out of the side door locking and unlocking it all during the debate. At one point a man wearing an ear piece emerged and surveyed the route Cuomo would take. When Parker tried to leave the door was locked again.
"I go to the door, and I tried to leave, and they had us locked in. I tried to leave, and they had us locked on to the floor," Parker said. Finally he made it out of the chamber. "One sergeant of arms physically grabbed me. I was appalled. I'm a senator." Parker then made his way through an ante chamber. "A plain clothes cop and secretary tried to close the door again," he explains, trying to block his exit. "I've never seen a member treated in such a manner. I've never seen a white member treated that way," Parker, who is black, said. He was again also confronted by another sergeant of arms.

The bill was declared an emergency—allowing the introduction of new religious liberty language just hours before the vote, instead of the usual 3 days. The rules were changed again while the vote was taking place—and, as you can tell from the Gotham Gazette report of Senator Parker's experience, senators were essentially locked in on the floor of the Senate— to force the vote and allow Governor Cuomo to make the 11 o'clock news.

The only move left for New Yorkers who wish to protect family restoration and marriage is a constitutional amendment, which in New York requires approval from the legislature in two successive legislatures (and does not require the governor's signature) before going to the voters for final approval.  Such a measure will require years of politics, however, as it is clear that marriage has become a political power ball in New York, rather than a foundation for strong families.