{"id":1054,"date":"2015-06-30T10:49:30","date_gmt":"2015-06-30T14:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/?p=1054"},"modified":"2015-06-30T10:53:35","modified_gmt":"2015-06-30T14:53:35","slug":"uup-welcomes-marriage-equality-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/?p=1054","title":{"rendered":"UUP welcomes marriage equality decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right is a major victory for freedom and equality, UUP President Fred Kowal said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a decision that is long overdue and very much welcomed,\u201d Kowal said. \u201cUUP has long supported gay rights and same-sex marriage and our union has stood steadfast in the face of those challenges. This landmark decision addresses the issues of equality and justice for all. Love wins out!\u201d<\/p>\n

On June 26, the Supreme Court issued its ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges, a case that challenged if the 14th Amendment required states to marry same-sex couples and recognize such a marriage performed out of state. Same-sex marriage has been legal in New York state since 2011.<\/p>\n

In a 5-4 decision, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who wrote the majority opinion, said gay and lesbian couples are guaranteed the right of marriage under the U.S. Constitution.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage,\u201d said Justice Kennedy, referring to challengers to state bans on same-sex marriage. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization\u2019s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.\u201d
\nBentley joyful over decision<\/p>\n

Plattsburgh Chapter member Patty Bentley, a member of UUP\u2019s Sexual Orientation United for Liberty (SOUL) Committee, NYSUT\u2019s LGBTQ Task Force and a longtime gay rights supporter and activist, said the court’s ruling makes same-sex marriage possible in all 50 states.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am absolutely ecstatic that the (court) has affirmed that (America\u2019s) motto is equality and justice for all,\u201d said Bentley. It\u2019s wonderful news and I am thrilled.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"bentleyweareone\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bentley, left, with AFT Assistant Director Marge Brown, attended a same-sex marriage rally in Washington, D.C., in April as the court heard oral arguments on Obergefell v. Hodges. She took a huge \u201cWe Are One\u201d poster, above, to the rally; the poster was signed by hundreds of people who attended UUP’s Spring Delegate Assembly and NYSUT\u2019s Representative Assembly in May.
\nOther labor voices<\/p>\n

Here’s what other union leaders had to say about the court\u2019s decision:<\/p>\n

NYSUT: \u201cNYSUT applauds today\u2019s Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality nationwide, a decision that is the culmination of a fight for justice over several decades by brave lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates and their allies.<\/p>\n

\u201cAcross the country, LGBTQ workers aren\u2019t treated fairly. In too many states, they can be fired based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity. They experience harassment and discrimination on the job. They earn less than their straight co-workers and they don\u2019t have equal access to benefits like health care. This decision is a tremendous step forward but there is so much more work to be done.<\/p>\n

AFT President Randi Weingarten: “From Loving to Windsor to today, love has won. As people start seeing one another\u2019s real aspirations and dreams for all our families and our communities, as well as for ourselves, we see that the arc of history does bend toward justice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd while this is a day of celebration, there is more work to do in our fight for full equality. As a gay woman and union leader, I know that I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today if it weren\u2019t for my union\u2014an ally in the struggle for rights and a shield from unfair discrimination in the workplace.<\/p>\n

NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garc\u00eda: \u201cToday the Supreme Court has taken a monumental step forward in our national journey toward a more perfect union by making marriage equality the law in every state of our great nation. On behalf of our members\u2014and the students they serve\u2014we applaud the court\u2019s historic decision, which will end discrimination against same sex couples, place them on equal footing with other families and safeguard all of our children.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that today\u2019s ruling will make a tremendous difference both to the dignity and personal and economic well-being of same sex families and to the dignity and personal well-being of their children as well as others who have been bullied and fearful due to their sexual identity. We applaud the Supreme Court and the many advocates whose work resulted in today’s historic decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler: \u201cToday\u2019s Supreme Court decision marks a truly historic day in America. While there is still work to do to secure economic and social justice for LGBT Americans, the court\u2019s ruling is a major victory for everyone who believes in equality.<\/p>\n

\u201cSame-sex couples will now have equal access to marriage licenses like any other couple. This ruling is a win for children, families, workers and our entire country.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right is a major victory for freedom and equality, UUP President Fred Kowal said. \u201cThis is a decision that is long overdue and very much welcomed,\u201d Kowal said. \u201cUUP has long supported gay rights and same-sex marriage and our union has stood steadfast in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1054"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1060,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1054\/revisions\/1060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uuphost.org\/cobleskill\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}