(Long) Island Beachgoers and Businesses mobilized for marriage
June 1, 2009
Ed. Note: an update from our field staff out on Long Island - Karl Bach, Terry McGuire and Tony Wagner 
No matter where we go in eastern Long Island the response has been overwhelmingly the same. The residents of the South Fork want to see same-sex marriage passed this year in New York. We're in Southampton again today showing residents how easy it is to write a letter to their state senator about marriage equality.
The streets were teeming with activity as locals and tourists hit up all the boutiques lining Main St, but that wasn't the reason we came. The weekends are always a good time to find the owners of these shops actually in their stores, as this is when they conduct a majority of their business. These are the folks we're looking at to make the economic case about why marriage equality is important. Did you know that the NY State Comptroller recently did a study that showed a potential $210 million positive impact on the New York economy over the next three years should the marriage bill pass? That's right - same-sex weddings are a boon to the economy! And by the way, the business canvassing went great and the sentiment was very much in favor of the bill. We'll definitely keep up the pressure on this front as our focus shifts to Riverhead and the North Fork. You'll definitely want to stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we'll answer the question - "What do religious institutions and wine have in common other than communion?"
