Washington D.C. Council Approves Gay Marriage Measure

On Tuesday, Washington D.C. Council voted 11-2 for final approval to a measure legalizing gay marriage, and according to the Washington Post, Mayor Adrian Fenty will now sign the measure, and if it survives a thirty day legislative review period, will take effect in the spring of 2010. In order for the bill to be blocked, the Democratic controlled House, Senate, and President Obama would all have to sign off on a disapproval resolution within that thirty day time frame, which gay advocacy groups contend not likely. There are celebrations scheduled for Tuesday evening in the Capital, and although opposition to gay marriage from the usual suspects still exists, the atmosphere is one of joy and jubilation. Deacon Maccubbin, 66 year old owner of Lamba Rising book store in the city, said he never thought the time would come that same sex marriage would be legal. “I’m really blown away by this. When I came to Washington in 1966, we didn’t even have basic rights. We didn’t even have a police department that would talk to us, but we had a supportive community and that continues to this day.” Erika Zommer framed the success slightly differently, the 27 year old saying “this is a moment in history that I think all gay people have been waiting for. But I think with my generation, I knew this day would come.”