Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Did you change your Facebook page or wear red to support same-sex marriage? Upload a pic here to show your support!
If you visited Facebook the last couple days, you likely saw red - but not the for the usual reasons. Many Facebook users changed their profile picture today to a pink equal sign with a red background in support of same-sex marriage. Did you change your picture or wear red? Show your support for same-sex marriage by uploading the same equal-sign picture above or a picture of you wearing red. To upload, just click on the green "upload photos and videos" button. Let us know if you support or oppose same-sex marriage bills in the comment section below! The social media change comes as the U.S. Supreme Court takes up Proposition 8, California’s gay marriage ban. In 2008, Californian residents voted in support of Proposition 8, which …
Friday, January 4, 2013
Cranston State Rep. Arthur Handy has submitted the bill every year for more than a decade. This year could be the year it finally gets to a floor vote.
For 10 years, Cranston Rep. Arthur Handy has introduced the same bill every legislative session that would allow same-sex couple to marry. This year, his bill might actually get passed as House Speaker Gordon Fox has pledged to put a vote to the floor by the end of the month. The legislation has broad support, with 42 members of the House signing on as sponsors and 11 members of the Senate. “We are long overdue. Rhode Island, the colony founded on the principle of personal liberty, is now the only New England state that doesn’t allow same-gender couples equal marriage. Rhode Islanders recognize that same-gender couples deserve the rights and responsibilities that other couples already enjoy, and support has been getting wider every year. …
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Lisa DeCesare, a Johnston resident and an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ rights, said she is against marriage as an institution recognized by the state government.
Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the much-debated civil union bill into law on July 2, which has brought about a wave of relief to many Rhode Islanders — but Johnston resident Lisa DeCesare is not impressed. “I never want to get married – ever. Marriage is, absolutely, a religious institution. What has occurred, though, is the state recognizes ‘marriage,’ the term and the act and this is wrong,” DeCesare explained during a recent interview. DeCesare, who is well-known locally as a strong advocate within LGBTQ community and a lesbian herself, said she understands the pains of extreme prejudice. “This a step in the direction of where we should be going, but basically falls far short. The term ‘marriage’ should be thrown away and replaced with ‘…
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The town's three representatives and one state senator all voted to approve the bill.
Johnston's delegation to the Rhode Island General Assembly were united in their support of the civil union bill that passed the Senate on June 29 by a 21-16 vote. On May 19, when the House approved the measure by a 62-11 tally, Rep. Peter Petrarca (Dist. 44) — who serves as Deupty Majority Leader and sponsored the bill — voted for the bill along with Reps. Steven Ucci (Dist. 42) and Deborah Fellela (Dist. 43). Sen. John Lombardo III, the town's lone state Senator, voted in favor of the bill on June 29. All of the members of the town's delegation are Democrats. In a statement issued after the Senate vote, Petrarca said: "I am very proud of my colleagues in the General Assembly for recognizing that this is the right piece of legislation at …
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
State Representative Frank Ferri, the owner of Town Hall Lanes, discusses recent efforts to legalize same-sex marriage.
If you have lived in or around Johnston for any period of time, there's a good chance you've bowled at Town Hall Lanes at some point. The business was originally purchased by the Ferri Family in 1984, and is currently owned by Frank Ferri, who is also a state representative from Warwick. Ferri, who represents District 22 in Warwick, was first elected in 2007. He is currently the Deputy Majority Leader, Vice Chair of the House Small Business Committee, and member of the House Finance Committee. Most recently, Ferri has led the charge to legalize same-sex marriage — a deeply personal cause, as he married Anthony Caparco, his partner of 30 years, about five years ago. Among the legislation sponsored or cosponsored by Ferri was H 5012, which …
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Dan Johnson
8:20 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
"Civil unions", adopted by several states as a "compromise" may seem reasonable to those not affected. But in this "compromise", only the legal rights of gay people are compromised. They forfeit equality, while the straight majority lose nothing, and would also lose no legal rights by granting full marriage equality. The Supreme Court ruled on the matter of "separate but equal" in the 1954 case … more ›