Md. gay marriage supporters launch coalition

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Md-gay-marriage-supporters-launch-coalition-1462544.php


BALTIMORE (AP) — Supporters of gay marriage in Maryland have formed a coalition in hopes of boosting chances of passing a same-sex marriage bill next year.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality held a news conference Tuesday in Baltimore to announce the effort.

The group includes Progressive Maryland, a liberal lobbying group, and Equality Maryland, the state's largest gay civil rights group. It also includes labor organizations and the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group, as well as the groups Catholics for Equality, the Maryland Black Family Alliance and Pride in Faith.

Supporters of gay marriage in Maryland are hoping passage of a measure in New York will help spark additional support in Maryland.

Earlier this year, gay marriage legislation passed the Maryland state Senate, but it stalled in the House of Delegates.



Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Md-gay-marriage-supporters-launch-coalition-1462544.php#ixzz1RudlFPzy

[ShadowLiberal]

1. If we can just get a vote in the legislature on gay marriage that'll help us Maryland

If we can get both parts of the legislature to vote on gay marriage then we'll know where everyone stands. That would allow us to target those who oppose gay marriage and replace them with supporters of equality. That's how we won in NY, we can do it again in Maryland.

[Unvanguard]

2. I'm very worried about the prospect of a referendum in Maryland.

We can probably win in the legislature with a sufficiently well-organized push--it was a close thing when it failed this past session--but winning a referendum fight will be much more difficult.