It is nice to see the state that James Carville once described as Philadelphia on one side. Pittsburgh on the other and Alabama in between (or something similar) is active in the fight for marriage equality.
First the ACLU and others have filed lawsuits to overturn my states "Donald Flad is not allowed to be a full citizen law".
Then the Register of Wills of suburban Montgomery County, with the full support of county government began to issue marriage licenses to all couples. The Commonwealth's Health Department has taken him to court to stop him because the Attorney General will not defend a law that discriminates against me. (I am so influential). Please note; The Governor of Pennsylvania is forcing the Health Department to use funds to deny me my full citizenship. The Health Department of Pennsylvania is spending money to discriminate against me.
The Health Department - the ones who are supposed to spend their time, effort and my tax dollars to ensure we are all a little healthier seems like an odd choice to defend discrimination but what do I know.
Now, we learn that John Fetterman, the Mayor of Braddock is about the business of marriage equality. Braddock is a borough 10 miles north of Pittsburgh. Through most of the 20th century it was a center for steel making. Since steel's collapse it has fallen on pretty hard times and even though it was a union town it is/was politically pretty conservative. Mayor Fetterman is a huge, burly, tattooed man with a Masters degree from Harvard and he has decided that he could not discriminate against the citizens of his Borough even though the Governor of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania thinks that he should.
I have been pretty pessimistic about Pennsylvania ever granting me full citizenship - I once said that I would not live long enough to see marriage equality in Pennsylvania but, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling - I actually have some hope. I don't think either the State Legislature nor the worst Governor in the nation..... You know, Tom Corbett, (the guy who refused to prosecute Jerry Sandusky because he was afraid it would cost him votes) are going to allow me full citizenship so I am hoping the courts will act.
Because I am now cautiously optimistic I've asked Bethlehem's Mayor John Callahan (my Mayor) if he would officiate at our wedding ceremony and much to my delight he said he would be honored to do so. The only problem is come the first of January he will no longer be Mayor.
Does anyone know if County Executives can officiate at marriages?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fetterman_(politician)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braddock,_Pennsylvania
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/pennsylvania-mayor-gay-marriage-_n_3713598.html
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