marred by mudslinging and dirty politics on both sides. Ball ran
as the conservative anti-establishment candidate, promising to
bring change to the Senate as he had done in his two terms in the
Assembly. He’s a native to northern Westchester, born in Pawling
and currently living in Carmel.
Publicly, Ball has said that he is “undecided” on the issue of
marriage equality. He voted against marriage as an Assemblyman,
but his stance has shifted. As a Senator elected for his maverick
views, representing a district in which a majority of voters
support the freedom to marry, he is in the perfect position to vote
yes. Unlike other conservative state congress members whose
re-election is dependent upon the endorsement of the Republican
party, Ball has shown that he can win an election without that
endorsement.
It was raining yesterday. Pouring, really. We had some luck
gathering calls and postcards in the morning, but as the rain got
heavier and the wind got stronger, it was harder and harder to
greet people with a smile. We met commuters returning from the
city at the Brewster train station. Hurrying home to their loved
ones and dinners, they rushed passed me huddled under my umbrella.
We had joined up to gather cards and calls with the executive
director of Marriage Equality New York, who is biking across the
state for the freedom to marry. He and his riding partner had
been riding in the rain for five days and were exhausted.
Fighting for equality, like biking through New York state, will
often be an uphill battle. There will always be those people who
need to be convinced that voting for people’s right to live without
discrimination is an alright thing to do. There will always be
rainy days and cold shoulders.
But there will always be people like Fred and Ron from Marriage
Equality New York, willing to do whatever it takes.
And there will always be tomorrow: another day to smile, call your
state Senator, decide to vote for the right thing, or marry your
partner.
Here’s to tomorrow.