One year ago, the Connecticut Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Since then, half of the gay couples who have married in the state have been from other states or other countries, the Hartford Courant reported.
Marriage advocates say the influx of out-of-staters indicates Connecticut was part of a national strategy.
"This isn't a surprise to me," Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, told the Courant. "We warned all along that they would use this state as a springboard to force it on the rest of the country. This wasn't accomplished by people that cared about Connecticut. This was accomplished by people who had a national strategy. They achieved their aim and then they moved on."
- Gay activists are hard at work trying to force gay marriage onto New York and New Jersey, as well. The New York Senate convened for a second special session today, with Gov. David Paterson pushing for a vote on a same-sex marriage bill. In New Jersey, lawmakers are working to send a gay marriage bill to Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine before he leaves office in January. Corzine has said he would sign such a bill, while Gov.-elect Chris Christie has promised to veto it.
- In Washington, D.C., a council committee voted last week to move a same-sex marriage bill on to the full council.
- In Ohio, Oregon, California and Michigan, gay activists are working to overturn constitutional amendments that protect marriage.
Ohio Rep. Tyrone K. Yates introduced a resolution in the state House last week that would repeal a 2004 amendment protecting marriage.
David Miller, vice president for public policy with Citizens for Community Values, said Ohioans have spoken clearly.
"It's curious that Representative Yates or any Ohio legislator would want to put such a popular issue before the voters again," Miller told The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Thirty-one states have voted in support of marriage, including Maine, which voted this month to overturn a gay marriage law passed by the Legislature earlier this year.
