Happy Valentine’s Day y’all! In a 34-21 vote, the Illinois Senate has approved legislation that would allow for same-sex marriage. Senator Heather Steans, who sponsored the bill, called it “a vote for the history books.”
“We have the opportunity today to welcome all families in Illinois as Equally valued,” she said.
And good news for the uber religious (and separation of church and state), an amendment was added to the legislation explicitly saying no church, religious denomination, or minister will be forced to “solemnize any marriage.” So the argument ‘we’re forcing churches to marry gays’ is invalid. Now the bill goes to the House for approval, and with that last amendment hopefully it won’t be too difficult to get it passed.
During the debate before the vote, the Chicago Tribune noted Sen. Kwame Raoul’s testimony of his change of heart on the issue.
“Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, told a story about how he could not first accept that a cousin was gay, but then he realized over time that he was “no different” from the person he had long loved.
“The sky is not falling, Chicken Little,” Raoul said.”
Hear that? Gays can marry, and the world keeps on turning.
Of course, I’m elated!