Stony Brook group wants LaValle Stadium renamed
Students start petition following senator's vote against gay marriage
8 comments below
New York State Senate hopeful Regina Calcatera, second from left, joined students at Stony Brook University who are asking administrators to rename the Kenneth LaValle Stadium, following the senator's vote last week against a bill that would have legalized gay marriage.
Stony Brook Students for Equality was started up last week in response to the New York State Senate's 38-24 vote against approving legislation to legalize gay marriage.
The students who gathered outside Kenneth LaValle Stadium said Monday that they intend to start a petition drive to gather enough signatures to have some negotiating influence when they go to the administration and to Mr. LaValle's offices to make their voices heard. The students started a Facebook group after last Wednesday's vote. Less than a week later, the group claimed 608 members.
"[Homosexuality] is a fact of human nature," Doug Newman, the group's founder, told protesters Monday. Mr. Newman said he believes Mr. LaValle's name does not belong on the stadium because he "helped further prejudice and intolerance" with his vote last week.
Another student speaker, Elana Lancaster, said she was puzzled by the senator's vote.
"I can't look at [the stadium] without being angry and disappointed," she said.
[if "'I can't look at [the stadium] without being angry and disappointed.' student Elana Lancaster" equals ""]
In a statement explaining his vote, Mr. LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) said: "At the present time, society is equally divided on the issue of gay marriage."
Mr. LaValle said he would prefer civil unions to gay marriage as a transitional step for gay and lesbian couples.
"I believe this would be accepted by society and would provide same-sex couples equality of rights under the law," Mr. LaValle wrote. "By allowing society a transition period, same-sex couples will have a better opportunity to achieve their goal in the future."
Mr. LaValle did not return a phone call this week seeking comment on Monday's protest.
Regina Calcaterra, Mr. LaValle's possible 2010 Democratic opponent, attended Monday's protest to support the students. Ms. Calcaterra said she supports gay marriage, noting that each State Assembly member who represents parts of Mr. LaValle's district voted in support of gay marriage.
Student Alex Nagler, president of Stony Brook Student Democrats, said marriage equality is an issue of civil rights. Marriage has a legal definition, Mr. Nagler said. If state senators do not like it, why don't they propose a bill to change the definition, he asked.
He went on to say he was unhappy because the bill's opponents never offered an alternative bill nor did they explain their reasons for voting no until after they had done so.
Asked if she would vote for Mr. LaValle's civil union proposal, Ms. Calcaterra said no.
"It's like putting a Band-Aid on a hole in a ship that's sinking," she said.
She said she would instead press to reintroduce a bill similar to the one that failed last week.
jwilliams@northshoresun.com
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Ken LaValle : 6/15/2011
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Enough is enough : 12/16/2009
We have bigger problems to worry about than the gay's crying the blues all of the time. The sissy little liberal's attending College need a swift kick in the pant's of reality.
