Why are gays not allowed to marry in N.Y.?

It is a mystery to me as well.

To answer your question: states are allowed to create laws for their specific state. Hence, Vermont allows one thing, and NY does not. Same as some states allow alcohol to be sold in quick-e-marts, like in Texas, whereas in Pennsylvania, only certain stores can sell beer, and others wine and liquor. It’s called state government.

plus Vermont has more sequins.

It’s called bigotry, homophobia, ego-centrism, ignorance (shall I go on?...)

Not sure what having a black president has to do with your subject. Is NYC a college? Just wondering because of your spelling. Marriage laws are state specific. That said, there should be no surprise to find differences among the states.

Because NYC is not New York State, and New York State outside of NYC tends to be much more conservative. That constituency is not amenable to gay marriage, and the legislators representing those areas vote in kind.

There was a vote on it, and the Christian Right’s lies and propaganda prevailed. They claimed that it would cripple heterosexual marriage, lead to teaching homosexuality in schools, force churches to marry homosexuals, cause a huge spike in child abuse and sex crimes (most of which is actually heterosexual) and so on. I know for a fact that is a pack of lies, because my own state has now permitted same-sex marriage for six years, and none of that has happened.

Just good Christian liars and lots of table pounding demonization.

Because there are no federal laws regarding the definition of marriage, so it’s up to the states. Obama has no control over what the states do so long as it’s legal. They could pass a federal bill defining marriage, but most senators want one defining it as between one man and one woman. You could pass a constitutional amendment, but it has to pass both houses of Congress by ⅔ majority and then be ratified by ¾ of the states within 7 years. Most politicians don’t want to take a strong stance because if they do, they’ll lose a large amount of votes.

@aprilsimnel Has hit the nail on the head. New York city is a very liberal pocket in an otherwise conservative state.

Because New York is lamesauce. :)

But yeah, it’s the same reason they can’t in California. The big cities aren’t the whole of California or New York and what’s popular in the cities isn’t necessarily going to work with the people outside of them.

Homosexual relationships do not produce more subjects (taxpayers)
.

@DominicX In the case of California the public has made it clear it doesn’t want them to.

@CodePinko In the case of many Southern states, the public would also vote it doesn’t want any people of color. WOuld that be just fine, so long as that’s the will of the majority?

Majority? thats not repesentative democracy.
However your comment does touch on why California calling itself a republic is ironic.

@CodePinko Is Republic versus Democracy the final fallback that automatically makes right wingers right even if they insist Death Valley is the world’s tallest mountain?

No good reason anywhere.

NY is now one vote closer to legalizing same sex marriage (thanks to a Republican!). Hell yeah!