Chamber urges town to change policy on center's same-sex family membership
The Associated Press

SKANEATELES, N.Y. -- Business leaders in this upscale Finger Lakes community are urging town officials to let gay and lesbian couples obtain family memberships at the local community center.

In a statement approved Thursday night, the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Skaneateles Merchants' Association said they didn't want their community branded as backward and bigoted.

"A Community Center is a place for the entire community to gather for programs and recreation, and should include all families," the statement read.

"It's the 20th century and values and standards have changed from what they were and we try to be progressive and up to date," said Joe Panzarella, president of the merchants' association.


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Gay marriage opponents rally at Statehouse
By Mark Jewell
Associated Press
 
Gay marriage opponents invoked the Bible during a rally today that drew about 300 participants, pledging a stepped-up campaign to ensure Indiana does not follow Massachusetts' lead in allowing same-sex marriage.

"This is wrong," said Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, said at the steps of the Indiana Statehouse. "If marriage can mean anything, it ultimately means nothing."

Massachusetts' legalization this week of same-sex marriage falsely embraces the idea that marriage is "simply another living arrangement," Clark said.

Several speakers were from predominantly black Indianapolis churches. Rally participants sang Christian hymns, displayed the Indiana and U.S. flags and held signs reading "God gave us marriage -- obey God" and "We love gays but we oppose same-sex marriages."



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Reilly says he'll enforce law against rebellious clerks
By JENNIFER PETER
Associated Press Writer

BOSTON- Attorney General Thomas Reilly said Friday that his office has contacted four rebellious clerks and instructed them to stop issuing marriage licenses to out-of-state gay couples, agreeing to a request from Gov. Mitt Romney.

Officials in Provincetown, Somerville, Springfield, and Worcester have openly defied Romney's edict forbidding clerks from marrying out-of-state couples.

Reilly said he shares Romney's interpretation of the 1913 law barring couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union would not be recognized in their home state, and he plans to enforce it.

"Let me make it very clear here, if there are violations of the law, the law will be enforced," Reilly said Friday, a day after Romney sent him 10 marriage applications filed by out-of-state couples.