Nov 11, 2009 6:41 am US/Eastern
Gov.'s Same-Sex Marriage Vote Demand Ignored
State Senate Doesn't Vote; Activists Get Into It With Bronx Lawmaker, Resulting In Heated Exchange Caught On Camera
Sources: If They Had Voted, Issue Would Not Have Passed
ALBANY (CBS) ―
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New York Gov. David Paterson appears at the annual Columbus Day parade on Fifth Avenue Oct. 13, 2008 in New York City.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
Governor David Paterson's demand that the New York State Senate vote on a same sex marriage bill fell on deaf ears Tuesday but it generated a lot of loud noise and an angry shouting match between supporters and a Bronx senator against the measure.
Tempers flared as gay activists demanded -- but did not get -- a vote on legalizing same-sex marriage.
"Marriage vote! Marriage vote," the supporters chanted outside.
And there was a tense shouting match between a Rockville Centre couple and Sen. Ruben Diaz -- one of the opponents of the measure.
"You don't give a crap about the children do you now? You want the people to vote next year, right? Next year and last year it was the year before and the year before," Jeffrey Friedman said.
"I'm telling you. I'm telling you … the people don't want that," Diaz responded.
"What people? What people?" Friedman demanded.
Friedman held his 6-year-old adopted son Joshua in his arms as he and his partner, Andrew Gwerin, confronted Diaz.
"Explain to our son why he doesn't deserve the same protections as students in his class," Gwerin said.
"It's against the law," Diaz responded.
The war of words continued after Diaz walked away.
"Six years ago New York State allowed us to jointly adopt our son," Friedman said. "At this point New York State doesn't recognize us as a family."
"There are people who think that if they raise their voices and make noise they scare you," Diaz said. "My principles will not be changed. My traditional values will not be changed."
Activists are furious with the Senate.
"Let me be very clear, them not acting today is the New York Senate saying they don't care abut gay and lesbian families and we take that very seriously," said Alan Van Capelle of the Empire State Pride Agenda.
The same-sex marriage bill could be the victim of politics. Senators were nervous after several setbacks happened to gay rights during last week's election.
Sources tell CBS 2 HD that if the issue did come to a vote it would not have passed.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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