Forest Hills Reacts To Marriage Equality Law

Just hours after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law legalizing same-sex marriage in New York State near midnight on Friday, Patch took a walk around Forest Hills to gauge reaction to the news.

The result: most in favor and a few against with the vast majority refusing to talk on record about the issue.

“I have no problem with it,” said Carol Arr as she walked down Austin Street with her husband. “Everybody has a right to do what they want to do. What’s right is right.”

“Everybody deserves equal rights,” added Perla Bonilla. “They [gay couples] are not hurting anyone or doing anything wrong. It’s a free country.”

About two blocks away, Elle Rosario expressed grief. “I’m a Catholic,” she said. “You know my opinion.”

Another woman refused to stop, yelling out: “I don’t like to discuss it. I feel too strongly [against it].”

Local elected officials unanimously supported the legislation. State Senators Joseph Addabbo and Toby Ann Stavisky voted for the bill, as did Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi. As it was a state issue, City Council Member Karen Koslowitz did not vote on the matter, but always offered her support.

New York is now the most populous state where gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed. Such marriages are also legal in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

“It’s long overdue,” said Norman G. Tuthill. “We should have done this decades ago. The problem with America is the red tape and bureaucracy.”

Set to go into effect in 30 days, the law contains last-minute revisions which protect religious institutions from discrimination lawsuits if they refuse to officiate at gay marriage events.

However, Brent Weitzberg, who described himself as a reformed, practicing Jew, informed that he would support gay marriages in his religion.

“You should all be able to interpret the Bible in your way,” he said. “I love my religion, but you don’t have to be exclusive.”

Weitzberg also opined that gay couples in committed relationships should be able to get medical benefits and enjoy the same inheritance rights as other couples.

Though a controversial issue for many individuals, David Broderick, a married man with a daughter, offered a lighter reason for his support.

“If they [gay couples] want to share my misery, they’re welcome,” he said. “If they can get somebody to do it, God bless them.”