Gay marriage's big defeat

What a "no" vote in relatively liberal New York state means for the future of same-sex marriage

New York state senators rejected a proposal to legalize gay marriage on Wednesday. Opponents of same-sex marriage celebrated, saying the unexpectedly wide margin -- 38 to 24 -- in a relatively liberal state was proof that they had reversed the momentum for gay marriage after it was legalized in Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. "It most likely spells the end of the idea that you can pass gay marriage democratically anywhere else in the United States," said Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage. Was this a decisive defeat for gay marriage? (Watch raw video of the New York Senate rejecting a gay marriage bill)

See? The mainstream doesn't want gay marriage: The losers may blame "ignorant upstate Republicans," says Glenn Reynolds in Instapundit.com, but, as state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. said, the people of blue state New York think marriage is between a man and a woman. And he's a Democrat.

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