Boston City Councilor Jerry McDermott knowingly signed anti-gay petition

[Ian David]

Know thy city councilor
Laura Kiritsy


We thought maybe it was another instance of petition fraud when the name and address of District 9 Boston City Councilor Jerry McDermott turned up on KnowThyNeighbor.org's database of people who signed the initiative petition to put a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage on the 2008 ballot. But it turns out that's not the case.
http://tinyurl.com/cepdj

McDermott, who represents the Allston-Brighton neighborhood told Bay Windows that he signed the petition at St. Gabriel's Catholic church 'because I've always firmly felt that marriage, it comes from my religious beliefs, is a sacrament. So while I support civil unions I don't support marriage {for same-sex couples}." McDermott concedes he's discussed the issue "with some of my friends from the gay community" who have told him he needs "get over the 'm' word."

"Once I've sat and talked with them they seem fairly comfortable with where I'm coming from," McDermott added. "I think they respect my core religious beliefs. But I do think that the legislature isn't doing the Commonwealth right by not allowing the ballot {initiative} to go forward and let it go before the voters. So that's why I signed it."

Brighton resident Tim Schofield, an attorney and a gay man, likely doesn't count himself among McDermott�s "friends from the gay community."

More:
http://baywindows.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=3A3D8B6CD39348018B7EB3A22C31F99C


Jerry P. McDermott
District 9, elected in 2002


Contact Councilor McDermott
http://www.cityofboston.gov/contact/default.asp?id=21

Address:
5th Floor
1 City Hall Plaza
Boston, MA 02201

Telephone: [phone]

Facsimile: 617.635.4203

Web Site:
www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil

E-mail:
[e-mail]


Representing
Allston: Ward 21 Pcts 3-8; Ward 22 Pct 1-2
Brighton: Ward 21 Pcts 9-16; Ward 22 Pcts 3-13
http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/cc.asp?id_name=McDermott

[mom cat]

1. Hope this sinks him.

[TaleWgnDg]

2. Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy . . . this guy has it all screwed-up . . .

.

Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy . . . this guy has it all screwed-up . . . whenever I am confronted with such screwy-thinking, particularly from someone in authority as is Boston City Councilor McDermott, I pull out the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's written opinion in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health and say in their face, "Say, have you read this? I mean actually sat down read and analyzed this? Have you taken the time to fully comprehend this legal situation? Do you really and truly know what it's all about? Because from what you are saying, you don't. It would behoove you as an intelligent person to really know what this is all about -- in law, because marriage is all about law not religion. Read it. Don't be guilty of entangling Church and State."

It is of no surprise that -- even -- a politician can be confused about this issue. On the other hand, some pols know about it but choose the anti-gay stance anyway. Most likely for votes. If he's a lawyer then he ALREADY knows about his stance that entangles Church and State and is pandering for votes.

[merbex]

3. When I've discussed it with people I also say it has to do with LAW

not religion;that all couples are required to obtain a MARRIAGE LICENSE which is given out by the state and for which you pay a fee- the printing of which is done WITH EVERYONE'S taxes regardless of sexual orientation- what they do after obtaining one branches off - some go to priests,ministers, rabbis, some go the justice of the peace route

But since the state issues the license in the first place the state cannot by law be found to discriminate against some citizens and prohibit some of those citizens from obtaining that license in the first place

The marriage license issued by the state is the great equalizer- we all have one(those that are married) but we all weren't married with the same service ( and don't you think that doesn't bother some real wacked out fundamentalists who think their marriage is "More holy" than others)

If my husband and I had to get married again we would not do the religious route that we did the first time; a justice of the peace suits us better after 18 years together.

You evolve as a couple and hopefully grow and see things that you didn't before. I hope that society is the same