Gay weddings march to 4 states

2004-03-04 08:19

Portland, Oregon - Hundreds of gay couples tied the knot in Portland after authorities decided Oregon law allowed the unions, opening up a new front in the US battle over same-sex marriage.

"We're just here to make it official. We're here to make honest men of each other," said Paul Harris, 55, who married James Griener, 59, on Wednesday.

New York's attorney general, meanwhile, said gay weddings in that state are illegal. That didn't stop a second New York mayor from announcing not only that he would conduct gay marriages, but also that he intends to marry his own same-sex partner.

Mayors and county officials in four US states have allowed gay marriages, despite fierce opposition and calls for a constitutional amendment banning the unions.

County spokesperson Stephanie Soden said officials weren't counting same-sex marriage licenses, but estimated that at least 90% of the 422 licenses issued on Wednesday went to gay couples.

"We will not allow discrimination to continue when the constitution of the state of Oregon grants privileges equally to all citizens," Commissioner Lisa Naito said.

Among those marrying was Christine Tanner, who won a landmark Oregon court ruling in 1998 ordering state and local governments to offer benefits to their employees' same-sex partners.

'It's a big deal'

"There are only so many big events in people's lives - birth, marriage and death," said Tanner, who has raised two children with her partner of 19 years. "It's a big deal."

In New York, Mayor Jason West of New Paltz has conducted 25 same-sex marriages in the past week and said he will conduct another 10 to 20 marriages this weekend. The Ulster County district attorney has charged West with 19 criminal counts for some of the marriages he already has conducted, but the prosecutor lacks the authority to stop West from performing more weddings.

Mayor John Shields of Nyack, New York, will begin conducting weddings this week. Shields said he also planns to seek a license himself to marry his same-sex partner.

"What do you do when you're faced with injustice?" Shields said. "What did the women do in the suffrage movement? They marched. They were arrested. They did what they had to do to get their rights."

Meanwhile, Republican senators in Washington asked Congress to embrace a Constitutional amendment banning them.

"Same-sex marriage is likely to spread through all 50 states in the coming years," Majority Leader Bill Frist said. "It is becoming increasingly clear that Congress must act."

Same-sex marriage licenses also have been issued by a county clerk in New Mexico, but the state attorney general declared the licenses invalid.

In Massachusetts, same-sex marriages have the approval of the state's highest court - but the state-sanctioned marriages are not expected to start until May.

- AP